


New World

by Silicu (silmil), Silver_Eternity, The_Unholy_Trinity, TheRedHarlequin



Series: Spirits [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Shipwrecked, F/M, M/M, Magic and Science, Multi, Other, Spirits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 22:24:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 34,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5644039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silmil/pseuds/Silicu, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Eternity/pseuds/Silver_Eternity, https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Unholy_Trinity/pseuds/The_Unholy_Trinity, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRedHarlequin/pseuds/TheRedHarlequin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a voyage to a new land where he hopefully can start his new life in earnest, Eustass Kid, a blacksmith, is looking forward to living his life freely.</p><p>He had never expected to wash up on the shores of an island he has heard nothing about. And things only go further down into a wild descent of magic and mayhem from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic born from some vigurous rping, and it is barely the first part of a much longer story. We're posting this first part of it for Eustass Kid Week, though, so do enjoy~
> 
> For those who don't know much of our rps, Don is a slightly AU version of Doffy. Much more lovable, too.

The morning had been crisp and clear when he had left the village, the early risers already becoming familiar with Law and greeted him cheerfully. It was common for healers to be treated with the utmost respect, especially along the more detached villages where they didn’t have any local medical care, and Law had gotten accustomed to being treated well for the services he could provide. It didn’t hurt that he was using Don’s local homes wherever he traveled – it brought a sense of class all on its own.

Closer to the beach, though, Law could see the aftereffects of what had to have been a rather impressive storm. It hadn’t hit the island, naturally, Don wouldn’t be careless enough to let that happen; but the waters were murky and bigger waves were still crashing up on the pale sand, leaving their shadows to disappear more slowly after them. 

Law had come out here to add to his herbs, but he found himself staring into the riled-up sea, sinking back into his memories. It made him think back to times he could barely remember – his own arrival at the island and the storm that had brought him. It had been so very long ago, and Law’s life had changed drastically during the years that had passed – he was still alive, for one thing. So he didn’t often reflect on that time. But there was something in the electricity still buzzing in the air, in the sound of the darkened sea that drew him in. 

He noticed something in the water and took a step closer, frowning. It wasn’t an animal, nor something thrown out by the villagers – they were never so careless. But it did appear to be man-made. His eyes trailed farther towards the east and met another piece of litter – maybe a barrel? There was more along that side of the waters, and Law started heading towards it. Perhaps there had been a shipwreck? It wasn’t uncommon, but he hadn’t stumbled on any in a long while.

* * *

Kid knew he shouldn't have gotten on such a shitty merchant ship. The crew had looked sketchy from the get go.

But as a blacksmith who had finally finished his apprenticeship, Kid needed to travel for a number of reasons. To spread his name and craft, find work, as well as eventually find a good island to settle down on. 

That last one was unlikely, he wasn't the type to settle down easily.

But now none of that seemed likely as he was probably going to die because some drunken dumbass fell asleep at the helm and let the ship drift into what was locally well known as a ships' graveyard.

Kid had grabbed his satchel that carried all his things and rushed to find a lifeboat. Only to find the crew had already taken to them, along with only the richest clients, leaving the dregs to die.

Kid had avoided the screaming fools rushing around the ship and headed straight to the storage.

Without wasting time, he lashed himself to three barrels of supplies, tying them together as best he could before using a cannon to blast a hole in the side of the already sinking vessel.

The last thing he remembered before the barrels were swept out to sea, taking him with them, was the ship crashing into the thorny maws of giant rocks that encircled the ships' graveyard.

* * *

Kid woke up to a face full of sun and not knowing how much time had passed. His head was in agony and he could barely move his arms. He could at least feel sand beneath him, his back bare from having been woken in the middle of the night by the alarm.

He was laying on something metal, chunks of wood at his feet and he figured the barrels must have been destroyed by the ship and he was on top of whatever had been in them.

He tried lifting his head only to cough up a lung-full of water and his head screaming at him. Kid was able to tilt his head barely towards some sound coming closer.

He could make out some form standing over him just as he passed out.

* * *

Shipwrecks were not uncommon around the island because of all the protective charms and spells that were in place – it was a measure to protect it from outsiders, but also to protect the outside world from them. Law appreciated that – who knew what the world at large would do if they knew the kind of power that could be wielded? Don was too powerful for his own good, but at least he used his powers wisely.

Law had been a bit of a miracle – it was not often that an outsider would step on the island, and even less common for one to remain. Most would be purged of any memories and sent off to crash land on a different beach, never knowing they’d even found this place. It was a decent set-up that didn’t allow for too many problems normally. 

So when Law neared the portion of sand where most of the wreckage had washed up, he was surprised. The sight that greeted him was rather impressive, admittedly. There was a man. One with wild red hair, the lack of a shirt revealing an admirable physique, who was sprawled on a bed of gold coins and jewels, the waves lapping at his feet. 

Law frowned a little, taking the last few steps faster when he noticed movement, but it was clear when he reached the outsider that he was unconscious. Law laid a hand on his neck, feeling the slow beat of his pulse under the skin. He was alive and didn’t really seem that roughed-up, either. He had to get him to Shanks, then. 

* * *

Kid groaned and turned over to get more comfortable, burying his face in the warm clean linens beneath him and sighed peacefully. This bed was more comfortable than any he had ever slept on, and the sea was smooth enough that he couldn't feel the slightest rocking.

Why  _ was _ the sea so calm? You would think with a shitty crew like this, that the ship would-

The ship.

Kid's eyes shot open and he tried to sit up, hissing as his head swam. His head was still sore but nowhere near as bad as it was when he had woken up the first time. 

He looked down at himself and found he had been changed into fresh clean clothes, they were plain but it was well made enough to cost a pretty coin. The material alone was something he had never seen before, which piqued his interest, so it had to be expensive.

Kid looked up and saw he was in a room somewhere. Again, the furnishings were simple enough but everything was well crafted. He was starting to wonder if he had been rescued by a wealthy earl at this point.

Kid moved to try and get out of bed then hissed when he felt a pain in his ankle. It didn't feel broken but he probably wasn't going to enjoy putting weight on it. Most likely a sprain.

Fuck it.

Kid gritted his teeth and limped to the door. There were no windows and only a strong lantern to see by, but he made it to the door easily enough.

Then he tried to turn the doorknob.

Locked.

"What the hell?" Kid wanted to break the damn thing down, he did  _ not _ like being confined anywhere for any reason. But he was in an unknown situation, so it probably wasn't a good idea to piss off whoever had picked him up off the beach and saved his sorry hide.

So he cleared his dry throat, coughing a bit, then knocked. "Hello?"


	2. Waking World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid wakes up, Killer is amused. Who's hungry?

Trafalgar Law had managed to leave the village, gather a castaway, return to the village, dump him there, patch him up, and return back to his own business before the sun had barely been up for a couple of hours. Damn, but the man was efficient.

Too bad he had left Killer to deal with said newcomer.

A shipwreck, huh? They would have to talk to Shanks later, but the man was gone right about now. Maybe they could take the outsider to the capital and dump him on the King. That sounded about right, he was the one who usually dealt with them, after all. Killer had been traveling with Law for a while now and he guessed they might be going back soon anyway. As much as Law travelled, he always came back, and Killer _did_ have people waiting for him there.

For now, though, Law had just decided _he_ was the best person to leave this outsider to. It was frustrating, but at least he was certain Law would repay him the favor properly, like he always did.

There was a sound from the room that caught his attention and he left his place by the door of the small house to go and check up on his charge. He had locked the door just in case, even if he didn’t think the man would be up and walking around too soon on that-

“Hello?”

That… sounded pretty damn close to the door.

Killer unlocked and opened it, blanching at the outsider _standing_ there. Law said he should _not_ be putting weight on that ankle.

“You really shouldn’t be up right now,” Killer tried to usher him back to the bed.

Kid held back another hiss at the pain in his ankle and at the idea of being touched by someone he didn't know, so he backed up a bit until he was out of the blond's reach.

"If it's all the same to you, who the hell are you? Why was the door locked? And are you the one who picked me up off the beach?" Another question suddenly hit him and he frantically looked around the room. "Where is my bag? I know I washed up with it!"

The guy was rowdy, alright. Ready for a fight from the moment he laid eyes on him, aggressive and clearly prepared for any assault and to defend. Killer brought his hands up to show he was not attacking him, and gave him a little space.

“My name’s Killer, sorry for the door. No, I wasn’t the one who found you, that would be Law. He also grabbed the bag when he brought you here and it’s right there,” Killer motioned towards the foot of the bed where the bag laid with a couple handfuls of gold coins next to it. “He said he couldn’t be bothered to look for a bag for the treasure, so he only grabbed as much as he could carry, I hope you don’t mind. Now, would you please sit down? He'd kill me if I let his patient walk around on a bad leg.”

Kid thought about rushing the guy and breaking out of the room, but judging by the other man's physique he didn't think that would be a good idea. He had made enough weapons and sold them to enough people to know a soldier when he saw one, and he could tell this guy was easily a hell of a lot stronger than some local grunt.

Kid was confident in his own strength, he might have even stood a chance unarmed, but not with a bum ankle and the room still swimming behind his eyes every few moments.

"Fine." He limped over to his bag first to grab it before sitting down. Kid went through it carefully to make sure everything was still there. "So. ‘Killer’. Not a name you hear often, not that I got room to talk. Guess I should introduce myself too." Kid looked up when he found everything was in order, though he would need to clean his tools soon to prevent rust. "Eustass Kid."

“Eustass Kid,” Killer tried the name out, nodding at him when the man finally sat down. It was always good to know the hostile outsider you have been tasked with looking after can be reasoned with. “Nice to meet you. Does your head hurt?” He remembered Law had soaked some herbs and instructed him on giving the concoction to the man if he was in pain. “Or the leg? Law, he’s a healer, he left you something for the pain, in case you would need it?”

Kid thought about it for a few seconds before nodding. "My head is sore, but it's bearable. If you got something for my ankle though, I... wouldn't say no." He shifted uncomfortably.

The admittance didn't come easy. Kid had grown up in a place where the slightest sign of weakness could and would be used against you.

He had learned to use a hammer for striking more than just iron.

Killer nodded and went to a table in the corner of the room, gathering up the still-steaming mug –apparently it was important it be hot if Law had wasted magic on something like this. He offered the drink, but made sure not to crowd the man too much.

“So, Eustass Kid, where were you headed before you shipwrecked?” There were many castaways who just wanted to return to their family and friends – those cases were easy to deal with. They would be made to forget and sent off on their way. It was best to figure that out, first, Killer figured.

"Just Kid." He took the mug, smelling it cautiously. Kid was pretty sure it wasn't poisoned as there wouldn't have been much a point in saving him in the first place if they had just planned to kill him later. "And pretty much anywhere but where I was. The damn crew of that ship wasn't worth a damn, but they were the first ship I could find that didn't look like they would slit my throat in my sleep and dump me overboard."

Kid sipped the concoction and raised a brow at the taste. It almost tasted like almonds. "Figures, finally finish my apprenticeship and save up enough to buy passage on a ship and it sinks. Great. Where are we anyway?"

“Well, you certainly reached your destination, then,” Killer smirked a little and leaned back against a wall. “This is most certainly _not_ where you were.” The man must have had some rather bad experiences, if judging his crew by whether they looked like they would murder him was common. No specific destination, either.

Maybe that’s why he had landed here – few who actually had something to go back to did. “Welcome to Windmill Village on the coast of Dressrosa Island.”

"Dressrosa?" Kid turned the name over in his head but came up empty. "Never heard of it."  

Before leaving his old home, Kid had made sure to learn as much as he could about all the surrounding territories even partially close to his. He wondered how long he must have drifted to have washed up on an island he knew absolutely nothing about.

“Not many outsiders know it by name, admittedly,” Killer inclined his head. “For a number of reasons, but I wouldn’t want to bother you with those quite yet.” He thought back to Kid’s earlier words and wondered about what else he could learn about the man. “An apprenticeship? You’re a craftsman, then?”

Kid nodded. "A Blacksmith by trade. I mean, I do a lot of other stuff too, but mostly blacksmithing. I can do copper, blades, silver, locks, and some carpentry. A bit of tinkering when business is slow. Maybe I'll sell my services here for a while if the population is dense enough. Save up again to get a decent ship out and back on course. Dunno how long I'll be staying really."

Something occurred to him and he tentatively asked. "Why was the door locked? And why were you standing close by? I know I'm a stranger here, but..."

“Windmill isn’t that big, but there’s definitely enough need for blacksmiths around the Capital,” Killer nodded. He opted out of correcting his assumptions that he would need money and a ship to leave – that was better left to Shanks later. The guy didn’t need to get all the shocking realizations at once.

“And, yes, about that,” he addressed the man’s questions. “We’ve had lots of problems with outsiders running around without having an idea where they are and what’s happening, so I just wanted to make sure you didn’t run off without anyone noticing, for your _own_ safety as much as everyone else’s. I’m gonna be helping you around till you get to see the Chief.”

"Fair enough." Kid accepted Killer’s answer easily. He didn't like being confined, but he could understand it. "So, don't suppose you have any food lying around, do ya? I don't mind cooking my own if it's any trouble." He had finished the medicine a few minutes ago, and it hadn't filled him up much. "And I should wash up if I can, somehow."

“I was just about to go figure something out for dinner, but I can wait till you clean up. Here,” he took up a crutch that Law had left leaned next to the door and offered it to the man. “Even if it doesn’t hurt that much anymore,” because Killer knew Law’s concoctions, and they were usually very damn effective, “you should be careful with it. Just till it gets better, yeah? The bathroom’s over here,” he opened the door and motioned towards the one across the hall. “Take your time.”

"Thanks." Kid carefully stood up, raising both brows when his ankle only gave the slightest twinge. "Okay, I think I got this." He had broken his bones plenty of times, so he could use a crutch well enough.

The redhead moved his way out of the room and into the washroom.

"What the-" Kid stared at the room as he closed the door behind him. "Just how well off _is_ this 'village'?"

He had been expecting a simple wash stand with a pitcher of water and a basin, and maybe a chamber pot. What he found was a copper clawfoot tub, a matching toilet, and an actual sink.

Kid limped over to curiously turn one of the knobs of the sink, then placing a hand underneath the flowing water. When it turned hot, he removed his shirt, found a bar of soap, grabbed a cloth and wet it before wiping himself down.

Plumbing had been available for almost a decade now, but of course only the rich could afford it so far. Kid had figured it out himself to a point; he couldn't do much without the money for proper materials, but he’d had enough to manage running water at his own old home for most of the time. But the craftsmanship it would have taken for something like this was a far cry beyond what he had been able to do with what he’d had to work with.

After washing up and relieving himself using the _toilet_ (he would never admit how much he enjoyed watching the swirl of water when he flushed... three times), he left the room and looked around for Killer.

Killer was standing further down the corridor, leaning against the wall to give him some privacy. As soon as Kid was out though, looking refreshed and something like impressed, he pushed off and moved towards the kitchen.

“You’re hungry? I’m not much of a cook myself, but the kitchen’s pretty well stocked, so you can make yourself something if you’d like. They’ve been bringing what was left of the shipwreck in, so you can go and take a look later, keep whatever you want, trade the rest if you’d like. It’s customary that if we have a newcomer, we treat any remains of a shipwreck as theirs,” Killer explained as he showed the way towards the kitchen.

"Let me make us something, think of it as thanks for helping me out so far and for going to the trouble of showing me around later." The blacksmith looked out a window and noticed the sun was setting, which meant it was likely close to supper time. "I'll work with whatever you give me."

Kid followed after him, taking in every detail of his surroundings, pausing a few times to ask Killer about a certain thing and mentally making notes to talk to local carpenters about their style and knowledge. Kid preferred working with metal, but that didn't stop him from branching out from time to time when something caught his interest.

When they finally got to the kitchen (the place was a _lot_ bigger than he first thought), he stopped in the doorway in awe.

The kitchen was beyond what most restaurants back home could ever hope to afford, something he knew from when he used to work there at times when forge business was slow.

The countertops were stone slabs of some kind, there were two ovens that could fit a pony each, a gigantic wood burning stove, and a deep wide sink. Cookware was hanging everywhere from shining steel contraptions; copper and iron pots, pans, and skillets alongside delicate hand carved and forged utensils that his hands itched to examine.

" _Who_ owns this place?"

Killer made his way to the dining table in the other side of the room and sat on a chair, curious to see Kid’s skills in the kitchen. He _had_ said he could cook, so Killer was very much going to take him up on that offer. He had never bothered to learn, relying on either Shachi’s admirable skills, or Penguin’s proficiency in cooking exactly one dish, or on trading a warm meal for something he was good at himself. And since Law had left this one hanging, saying he would owe Killer a favor instead (well, admittedly being owed a favor from Trafalgar Law was worth a _lot_ ), he could just as easily accept Kid’s cooking for it.

“That sounds about fair,” he said, before taking in the man’s baffled expression and snorting a laugh. “No one, really. It’s an empty house for castaways, so you’re free to use it for as long as you wish.”

Kid grinned and hobbled around the kitchen, checking the cookware and experimenting with the stove. "So what food is there laying around? Meat? Vegetables? Anything else?"

“There’s meat and fish, vegetables and cheeses and all the works in there,” Killer waved towards the door that opened towards the walk-in freezer, and then towards the one next to it, “Everything else is in the pantry. There’s a bunch of herbs and spices, too, on the higher shelves, but I don’t know if you’ll know all of them since many are local.”

Kid was deliriously happy. If there was one thing he loved just as much as blacksmithing, it was cooking. To be able to create anything and have it be enjoyed was a great feeling, but it was even greater when he was forging something from metal or food.

He went over and opened the metal door first, poking his head in and soaking in the frigid room. His eyes roamed over everything with his mind going a mile a minute as he itched to take the room apart to figure out how it worked.

But Kid remembered why he was in there and carefully grabbed a long salmon and weighed his options before asking Killer to grab one of the slabs of beef while he picked out some familiar looking vegetables.

Kid looked like he was enjoying himself as he rifled through the cold storage and grabbed some things. Killer left his place when he was asked for help and went over to assist.

“Is there a story behind a blacksmith knowing how to cook?” He asked, curiously. This wasn’t the first time he had dealt with an outsider (Law didn’t count as one by the time they had met), so it wasn’t so surprising he had been tasked with it. It was always interesting to find out what kind of people could slip under the King’s protection.

"It was either that or starve. I grew up on my own and when I finally started my apprenticeship, I needed a side job close by to feed and clothe myself. I was an alright cook when I took the job at a restaurant, and it only made me better and learn to love it." Kid eyed an odd looking fruit, well, he _guessed_ it was a fruit, and took it just so he could try cooking with it.

Kid limped back into the kitchen and laid all of the vegetables in the sink to wash while he filled a pot with water to put on the stove to thaw out the fish.

While he waited on that, he went into the pantry. He took his time smelling, tasting, and comparing all the different herbs and spices. Some he liked, some he loved, others he didn't quite know what to make of, and a few he blanched at as soon as he removed the lid.

He picked up a bag of rice while he was there and put it on a convenient cart stored next to a bag of potatoes. He loaded it down with a few ears of corn, some odd looking peas, and a loaf of bread he intended to toast. Kid knew he was likely going overboard on a single meal for just two people, but he had never had access to so _much,_ and by the gods if he wasn't going to take advantage of it to eat his fill.

When he pushed the cart into the kitchen, he had Killer put the beef in a deep pan that he filled with water, seasonings, and some of the vegetables. He shoved it all in the lower oven before turning on another eye of the stove to start on something else.

* * *

 

By the time Kid was finished, well over two hours had passed, but he had kept Killer busy with taste testing and talking about his old island.

The preparations took longer than Killer would have expected, but it didn’t seem to take a toll on Kid, since he obviously enjoyed himself. The conversation was easy and Killer found himself quite fond of the man. This was very lucky, he supposed, since he might be spending a lot of time here, what with Shanks being away for a while.

Dinner was even _better_ because, damn, the man could cook. Killer wanted to introduce him to Shachi and have them swap recipes, his wife would certainly enjoy that immensely. And if he got this kind of treatment by Kid regularly, shit, he was going to be all for the man staying.

“That was so good,” he leaned back in his chair, looking at the remaining food with longing. He couldn’t fit another bite into himself, but shit, he wanted to finish it all.

Kid's ears turned a little red at the compliment but he grinned all the same, his belly too full not to. "Glad you like it. These ingredients are top notch. A cook should be able to make anything work, but I'm glad I got to work with food of this high quality. We can keep the rest of this in the freezer, it should keep just fine overnight. Maybe make stew with it tomorrow." He thought of the kinds and all the different ways he could make one, and he just felt excited all over again.

He yawned as he tried gathering up the plates, all the activity of the day finally weighing down on him.

“You should go lie down,” Killer took the plates off of his hands and ushered him towards the door. “I’ll take care of this, just watch your ankle and have a rest, ok? We can go and take a look at what they brought back from the shipwreck tomorrow, check you in with Law if anything doesn’t feel like it’s supposed to. I’ll be just over here,” he tapped the door right next to the room Kid had woken up in, “so anything you need, just come and get me, or give a shout if it's an emergency.”

Kid nodded, yawning again before patting the man on the back in thanks and heading off to his room.

He stopped in the bathroom on the way to wash his face and relieve himself. His ankle was starting to get quite a bit sore again and he realized that the medicine must have started to wear off.

He checked in the other door aside from the bedrooms and found a closet full of blankets and pillows. He snagged two pillows and took them back to his bed to prop his foot up in hopes of it helping.

Once Kid settled in, he stretched out on the bed and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harle here! Thank you for bearing with us for when we finally got around to updating this! We really hope you like this chapter! If you do, just click kudos! If you LOVED IT (and wanna make me cry happy tears~) leave a comment! 
> 
> See you in a week or two!


	3. New Knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid finds out more about the island and its mysteries, the elusive Shanks makes an appearance, and will Kid ever get to meet Law while conscious for once?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! Harle here! Sili and Don send their love and we all hope you enjoy this new chapter! ^-^

Law spent the day mostly outside the village as he had intended. While he had traveled all this way to offer his services as a healer, he was also very much set on taking advantage of his travels to restock on all the plants that were rare around the capital. How anything even grew there, considering how fickle Don’s mood could be, was a miracle all on its own.

Makino was a good student, and one that really needed his help with a husband as mad as Shanks, but she had taken the day off once the news of the shipwreck had reached her. She had her own responsibilities, and with Shanks off who-knows-where, they were even bigger. Well, she wouldn’t be the one dealing with the outsider, that was for sure, so they would have to wait for Shanks to return before really dealing with that…

The outsider.

Law should have gone to take another look at him, he didn’t like the head wound he’d been sprouting. While he didn’t think he woud have much of a concussion, there was nothing to guarantee it. Head wounds were difficult to really diagnose without contact with the patient, and… Shit, it was too late for the guy to be awake, wasn’t it?

Law didn’t overlook his patients though, so when he got to the previously empty house to find all lights out, he didn’t even bother knocking. He just extended a tendril of power and shambled to the inside of the door. He had been here earlier, when he had dropped the man off, so he knew which room to go to, silencing his steps and cloaking his presence while he walked as to not provoke Killer into trying to take his head off on instinct. A guard was a guard, after all, and Killer was a _good_ guard.

Law shambled once more inside the outsider’s room and stilled there for a moment. The man was stretched out completely, looking strangely peaceful. Law hadn’t expected him to grow so comfortable with his surroundings so soon – it had surely taken _him_ months, before he could sleep well in this strange place. But he supposed his body had to be exhausted. Law had cleared out his lungs earlier, that being the most important thing, but there was little to do about the strain that kind of magic left on the body.

Law tugged at the blankets, when he noticed a bulge on the bottom of the bed, to reveal the hurt ankle propped up on some pillows. A quick glance around the room revealed the crutch had been shifted, and the mug of herbs he had left was empty. Good, so Killer had listened to his instructions. It was one of the reasons Law liked working with him – he was most certainly competent.

He opened a pouch that hung off his belt, and shuffling silently around the room, mashed a few fresh leaves and secured them to the damaged place with some bandages, ensuring they would work through the night. A touch of magic amplified the effect, and Law tucked the blanket back over the appendage.

He circled around the bed, spinning a small light into existence, even as he put a hand on the outsider’s forehead to send a small pulse of magic that would guarantee the castaway wouldn’t wake up. Law pulled one eyelid up, dragging the light closer to his face, then repeated it with the other eye. Satisfied with his good pupil reactions – apparently the head wound hadn’t been as bad as it had looked, he kept the light as he ran his fingers through the red hair, finding the bump and inspecting it. It looked better than earlier. Well, if the man had any problems with his mental state, he was certain Killer wouldn’t have just let him sleep it off, so he decided to leave it at that. The less he employed his magic and let the body recover on its own naturally, the better it would be for the patient, after all.

Law went back to the table to the side of the bed, mixed up another painkiller, and left a short note to Killer to give the potion to him before breakfast. The crutch probably wouldn’t be needed by morning, so he didn’t insist he make the man use it. If it still hurt enough, he supposed he would figure that one out himself.

With one last flicker of magic to ensure the concoction remained warm – all the ingredients were fresh and it made it very potent, so he didn’t think he would have to make any more, hopefully – he walked back out of the house unnoticed. He headed off to Don’s residence, yawning widely. He would probably be out for some more of the rare clams that lived off into the sea the next day – crushed into dust and mixed with some chamomile, they made an excellent cure for broken bones – so he didn’t suppose he would be seeing the outsider soon.

A pity. The man was hot.

* * *

When Kid woke up the next morning and rolled out of bed he knew two things: he felt better and someone had been in his room.

He couldn't believe he hadn't woken up. He had grown up in neighborhoods that almost required you to be a light sleeper as a survival skill. The idea that anyone was light-footed enough to change the bandage on his ankle and refill the mug he could see still steaming across the room, all without waking him, was a mix of both impressive and irritating.

Kid stood up carefully and smiled when he could put most of his weight on his foot now. His headache was gone too. He tried walking around the room, and other than getting a bit tired after a short walk and the occasional twinge, his ankle was much better.

He drained the contents of the mug swiftly and grabbed the crutch just in case, before he left his room to track down his guard to see if he could get a better tour of the house and maybe even go through some of the stuff the islanders had found.

* * *

Killer was just walking out of the cool room by the time Kid entered it, carrying some of the leftovers out.

“Good morning. You look better,” he greeted and shoved the plates in the oven. “We’re having some of these, right?”

Kid wasn't really in the mood for breakfast at that moment. "Who the fuck was in my room? It wasn't you, you would've just woken me up."

“In your…” Killer looked up in surprise. He did _not_ miss people walking into his charge’s rooms, goddamn it. He looked the man up and down – he _did_ look better than he had been last night, the limp wasn’t as prominent even if he still had the crutch and there was a healthier color altogether on his face. So definitely not someone who had meant him harm.

There weren’t many people around who could sneak past Killer. But, maybe…

“Was there more of the medicine from yesterday on the table?” He asked.

"Yeah. Was it the same guy who patched me up? Tell him next time he decides to put his hands on me without my say so when I'm perfectly capable of speech, I'll shove this crutch up his _dick_ ." Kid snapped. "I'm grateful for the help, but there's a little thing called fucking _manners_."

Killer’s shoulders relaxed and he snickered a bit.

“Yeah, good luck explaining that to _Law_ . He’s got a problem with manners, so don’t be surprised if he tries it again. He’s pretty much the only one who can sneak by me like that, so don’t worry. And he’s not going to _do_ anything to you, not while he considers you his patient.” Though the crotch-in-the-dick threat was nice. He _should_ tell that to Law, it would be hilarious to see his reaction. Or, maybe, just let Kid tell him himself. That might be even better.

Kid grumbled but set the aforementioned crutch against a sill, before only slightly limping over to the rest of the food and putting it on the stove. Twenty minutes later and the stew was ready to be eaten.

Kid sat down across from Killer with some toast and a bowl of the beef and potato stew. "I was thinking once we're done here we could go poke through whatever the villagers were able to find from the shipwreck. Sound alright?"

“Oh, yes, I was planning something along those same lines,” Killer admitted, settling down together to eat with him. “And don’t take Law too seriously. He was an outsider like you, actually, one of the few who’ve stuck around. He got used to being the odd one out a long time ago, so he doesn’t bother much with pleasantries.”

Kid shrugged, his temper evening out now he knew exactly who had been in his room. "Fine. But when you see him, give him my message anyway." He ate the rest of his food quietly.

The time passed quickly after Kid got his hands on his things – he spent a long time going through everything from the shipwreck, and his body, still recovering, couldn’t handle much else. So close to a week passed like that easily.

Kid met a few of the local people, got to mingle with them, and while Killer knew they were being careful what they talked to him about – he wasn’t supposed to know about his choice before he spoke with Shanks – he managed to fit in pretty well.

There was the expected culture shock – Killer knew that the outside was much less developed than them, so Kid kept staring at things and mumbling about taking them apart to figure them out – but he was making very good progress in figuring out his standing among the islanders. He had even traded a few favors with the locals and was getting the hang of life around the village, even if he didn’t go too far.

Killer knew there was usually a two-week period before the Chief would get to talk to Kid, but he was constantly by Kid’s side and he got to see how well the man adjusted. And Kid was getting impatient, now that he was better. Killer was sure he was itching to get on with things, one way or the other – to either really start being integrated into their society, or to go back to his journey and find a different place to settle.

So, with that in mind, he left the house early one morning to see Shanks and talk to him about it. If only he could find the Chief quickly, that would be nice.

* * *

Kid was starting to get an odd feeling about the island. He wasn't exactly _suspicious_ but- okay, he was a little suspicious.

Fine. A _lot_ suspicious.

Kid had been excited and awed by how much had been recovered from the wreckage. Barrels, chests, debris, wood, stray trinkets and ropes, hell, they even found the helm itself.

He tossed _that_ shitty piece of wood into the stove to feed the fire for dinner.

He had no idea how they had been able to dive so deep for most of the heavy items that would have sunk straight to the sea floor.

After three days of sifting through things with Killer (and they _still_ weren't done), Kid managed to convince the blond watchdog to let him go outside. It took a full day, Killer leaving multiple times for reasons he wouldn't explain, but ultimately he got his wish. He wasn't allowed to go too deep into the village, but he got to talk to and interact with some of their neighbors.

Kid found things to keep himself busy. A nice old lady two houses down from them let him take apart and put back together what Killer said was a 'solar generator' in exchange for helping the old lady weed her vegetable garden.

The advancement of the island’s science and metallurgy was starting to actually weird Kid out, though he couldn't complain with how much he was learning in such a short amount of time. He could probably build half of these machines now with the right tools and materials.

And then there were the people themselves. His neighbors were good enough people, if a bit weird with some of the cultural differences, but he could tell they were being careful around him. Watching their words, steering him away from certain subjects or questions. Kid wasn't an idiot, and while he didn't think they were outright lying to him, they were sure as hell hiding something from him.

After four days of exploring his limited perimeters and constantly nagging Killer to let him see more of the island or at least just let him leave altogether, the other man finally caved. At least a bit.

Killer was going to arrange a meeting with the village chief to either grant Kid access to the whole of it, or to arrange for him to disembark.

Kid knew he should be looking forward to it, but something was weighing down in his stomach. He knew whatever they were hiding from him would most likely be revealed.

Kid wasn't entirely sure on whether or not that was a good thing.

* * *

Killer would find Shanks nowhere near his residence, or even any of his usual village haunts. Why? Oh, that was simple.

Shanks had gotten it into his head it was time to see the redhead and give him an unbiased evaluation. All the reports from Killer and his neighbors were good, and that was good... but the Chief wanted to see it with his own eyes.

He perhaps didn't start out on the right foot, he would admit later. It had been… rude. And abrupt. And not a prank to pull on an outsider.

He teleported into the house and right in front of the man without checking where he was, or what he was doing first.

Yeah, not his best move.

* * *

Kid had just gotten out of the shower and was toweling his hair dry. The shower was by far his favorite thing in the house.

He took a few steps to leave the washroom to go put on some clothes and collided with something that hadn't been there two seconds ago.

Kid would deny the scream that left his mouth, but would be proud of the shiner he left on the other man's face when his fist shot out instinctively to sucker punch the intruder right in the face.

" _OW_ !" Shanks stumbled back, not having expected that _at all_ , and covered his eye with his hand as his good one blinked at the irate outsider. " _Hey_ , that's no way to greet the guy who'll be either granting you citizenship or passage outta here!"

Then he glanced around and realized they were in the bathroom, and the outsider was very, _very_ naked. Oh.

".. _.NEVERMIND!_ let’s try this again in the living room, shall we?!”

He quickly disappeared from the bathroom and reappeared in the living room instead, flushed as bright as his hair except for the purpling bruise around his eye. Damn, the guy had a mean right hook!

" _WHAT THE FUCK_?!" Kid's shout could be heard throughout the entire house.

The blacksmith ran to his room to throw on the new soft black pants that he had taken from the salvaged pile of fabrics and clothes.

He then stormed downstairs to the living room, anxiously looking for Killer, but only found the scarred redhead from before. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Chief Shanks, of course, pleasure to meet you. Don't hit me again, the first one I deserved but any more punches and I'll be inclined to retaliate," he replied cheerfully, waving with his one and only hand. "I'd heard you were doing really well and so I popped in- and I'm sorry about _where_ I popped in, I did not mean to do that- to get your measure for myself!"

Kid hesitated grabbing for the nearest thing to launch at the intruder. "Chief? The guy Killer went to go find? And how the fuck did you do _that_? That appearing and disappearing thing?" Now that it seemed he wasn't in immediate danger, his mind went into overdrive to examine the odd man.

"Why, I'm teleporting, of course! Magic, naturally," Shanks wiggled his fingers and grinned. "Most of us on the island have some form of it or another. Some are minor, some are quite major...And naturally, the King has the most. It's mostly a matter of thinking of where I want to go, and..."

 **POP**!

In an instant, he had disappeared and reappeared up on top of a table, thumb in his pocket proudly. "And I do!"

Kid stared at him with a mixed expression of awe, anxiety, and intrigue. "Magic? That's... that's not supposed to be _real-_ Just superstitious wives tales... wait, is _that_ what everyone has been hiding from me?"

The younger man shook his head and decided to put that aside for later when his head didn't feel like it would fly off from all the spinning.

"What do you mean you're the one who is going to grant me citizenship or whatever?" Kid really hoped Killer was coming back soon. "What's _with_ this island?"

"Well... as you can imagine, magic _and_ technology… If the world in general knew our island existed, you can imagine that everyone and their mother would be coming to take us by force," Shanks replied as he hopped down from the table. "Which, we're powerful, but magic isn't limitless and human bodies that control it do eventually tire. We're a small and generally peaceful island, that's why we're so advanced. We're not so busy as our neighbors with constantly going to war, so we have time to invent and deepen our culture."

Then he posed dramatically, cape flaring as his hand pressed to his chest. "And as you landed in my portion of the kingdom, the East Blue, it puts you squarely in my jurisdiction on whether to approve you to leave or go! Or rather, find out what you prefer and then make it happen."

Kid's mouth opened and closed a few times and he found a chair to sit down in so he didn't fall. Then he spoke. "Killer said I'm not the first one to wash up on your shores. If you've let people leave, then why haven't I heard about you?" Something foreboding was beginning to curl up in his stomach.

Shanks’ mouth twisted unhappily and he sat down on the table, kicking his legs a little. "Well… like I said, if word got around war would come to our land. To… _prevent_ that, those who choose to leave- well, they have their memories wiped of ever being here. We give them a ship and supplies, whatever they washed up with, and before we send them off, we erase their memories of this place: The people they met, and however they got here. Then we put them into a deep sleep, so by the time they wake up, they're long gone from this island and its surrounding waters. It's the only way to guarantee nobody spreads word we're here- you can't talk about what you don't remember."

Kid felt a chill go down his spine. 'Teleporting' was hard enough to grasp, but the idea of someone messing around with his head made his stomach turn.

"And if I stay? What then? Still don't know much of anything about the island: how big it is, the culture, laws, the people. None of it. So far I've only learned odd table manners and about the barter system."

"Well, if you stay, obviously we're not going to erase your memories. You'd just sort of integrate into the community at your own pace. Y'know, like you have been, absorbing it and learning it as you go at whatever speed is comfortable. Law was the last outsider who chose to stay, and he was antisocial for a good long time. I think it took him twenty years to leave his house once he moved in!"

Kid frowned. He could have sworn the guy that had found him on the beach had looked close to his age. Maybe he just looked young for a man in his mid-thirties. Killer said the doctor had arrived on the island at age thirteen.

But he needed to focus. He had a life altering choice to make.

Kid could either stay trapped on an island he knew almost nothing about for the rest of his life, or he could let these people do who knows what to his head and hope they were telling the truth about seeing him off safely.

"Can I- can I think about it?" Kid squirmed in his seat, and gave the man what he hoped was a tentative smile, but was actually little more than a grimace. He needed time to _think_.

"Well naturally, of course! I just dropped by to get a good look at you and see how well you were settling in. There are some that wanted to stay and really... wouldn't have been worth allowing." His face darkened for a moment - those who wanted to stay only for greed, who had wanted to study their inventions and advancements to take them out in the world to sell and profit, those who would have selfishly sold their island's location out for a paltry amount of gold... They had not been allowed to stay. It would have ruined them.

Kid nodded slowly in understanding. He honestly didn't care about selling them out though. Just being able to study and advance his own abilities meant the world to him.

But if he left, that meant everything he had learned, every breakthrough of his own he'd had while here, every inspiration, would all just go up in smoke...

"Um, thanks, I guess, for believing I'm alright. Killer has been... _really_ great. I really appreciate everything you all have done for me." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Shanks kicked his legs again. "You're welcome! Your neighbors and Killer have all been saying real nice things about you, which is always good - I haven't gotten not even one complaint! I mean, they've laughed about the minor cultural misunderstandings, and nothing more - no violence, no intentional rudeness, and you've caught onto bartering really fast; all good signs! So if you do want to stay, I'm pretty happy to offer citizenship here in East Blue."

Kid nodded. "I'll think on it. Thank you for coming here to talk to me... Killer will probably be pissed he went to look for you for nothing though." He couldn't help smirking a bit at the expression he envisioned the aggravated blond making.

Shanks laughed. "Oh, I know! That's why I left when I heard he was coming this morning!" He hopped off the table and offered his hand to Kid. "It's been a pleasure. I kind of hope you do decide to stay. We could use a fresh mind with a new perspective in these parts."

Kid blinked and then had to keep from laughing. _'Poor bastard, Killer really does have it rough with so many whimsical people.'_

He stood up and took the chef's hand in his own. "I'll keep it in mind."

Shanks let go and gave him a little salute. "When he eventually gets back, give him my condolences on missing me," he laughed, then with a soft ' **pop** ' he disappeared once more, returning to his wife to laze the rest of the day away.

Kid took a deep breath and sank back down into the chair and put his head in his hands. "What the hell am I going to do?"

When Killer got back, he would have a lot to answer to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it certainly seems Kid has a lot to think about~ Hope he doesn't do anything TOO drastic >3> It would be a such a shame if anything else were to behalf our handsome hero, wouldn't it? Such. A. Shame...
> 
> Welp, see ya next week~


	4. New Reactions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or 'Kid does something stupid without thinking things through'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the newest update~ Things are about to get a little interesting ; )
> 
> Make sure to read the end note and we hope you enjoy the chapter!

Killer had spent the entirety of the day going from one place to the other, but for some reason  _ no one  _ knew where the Chief was. Shanks was truly and completely  _ impossible _ to find when his fancy struck, and Killer didn’t know how to perform the kind of magic he would need to be able to track him. He considered finding Law for a while, the man was very good at all kinds of it, but he wasn’t certain he wouldn’t just end up spending even  _ more _ time looking for him. Law wasn’t the most social person out there, and it was common that he couldn't be found easily. Makino hadn’t been able to help with either of them and Killer was starting to get absolutely exasperated. Was he the only responsible person who did his job and  _ made sure others could find him if he was needed _ ? 

The day was mostly done by the time he came back to the house, pissed at the Chief and at himself, and generally irritated that he was coming back to Kid empty-handed. He sighed loudly as he pushed the door open. 

“Sorry, Kid, the Chief’s nowhere to be found right now, I can try again tomorrow.”

Kid took one look at the exasperated and tired looking blond and burst out laughing.

Once he calmed down enough to talk, he grinned at Killer, eyes twinkling with mirth. "I'd be surprised if you  _ had _ found him. He only just left here an hour ago." He let that information sink in.

Kid  _ laughed _ at him. 

“Oh, that sunuva-“ Killer bit his throat, before the expletive turned into a whole cursing-out, because  _ of course  _ goddamn Shanks was  _ here _ the entire time – the  _ one _ place Killer wouldn’t even think of looking for him. “I swear to you, he does that shit on purpose just to piss me off.”

"He said that exactly. That it was more fun this way." The smile faltered. "He, uh, said a lot of other things too…” Kid's expression was pinched and obviously distressed.

Killer’s tirade died on his lips the moment he noticed Kid’s distress. While there were quite a few choice things he would like to say about Shanks and the man’s habits, this really wasn’t the time to be running around cursing out the Chief of the Village Kid had been offered to spend the rest of his life in. 

“Yeah, I imagine he did. Any thoughts you wanna share on those things?” Killer had to admit he  _ liked  _ Kid and he would very much like to have the man stay. But it wasn’t his choice. He could listen to his turmoil, perhaps offer a few more answers, but the choice had to be Kid’s. 

"I... I said I'd think about it. That's about all I  _ can _ say." Kid looked at Killer anxiously. "What's the island like? The village? How big is it? Is there more than one? I just- I've got a lot of questions. How can I decide to stay somewhere that I don't know anything about? And-" Kid looked very uncomfortable for a minute before taking a risk. "How do- how does your culture, ah, feel about relationships? In general and between... people who are...  the same gender?"

Killer scratched at his shaggy hair, wondering how not to break too many rules and not outright tell Kid he couldn’t tell him much. 

“You’ve seen what things are like, Kid. It’s peaceful, it’s mostly calm, and it has opportunities for all kinds of people. Culture can be learned and the history of the place doesn’t have much to do with whether you find it a suitable place to live,” he blinked at the uncertainty in the last question and raised an eyebrow. “The King is married, Kid, and we don’t have a Queen. I don’t think you would have an issue with it, if you’re asking, but if you  _ do _ , maybe you should reconsider staying.” 

The blacksmith contemplated that. "So... it would be okay for me to... be with other men?" 

Kid had not lived an easy life. But an already difficult existence had been made that much more... complicated when he discovered his disinclined attitude towards women and his fixation towards other men.

Knowing that such a secret could easily get him lynched had kept him from engaging in any sort of... physical activities until only last year. 

A discreet brothel with a few male staff had been incredibly freeing in some ways, but he knew falling in love one day and just standing a little too close to one another could get them killed.

Just with the promise of that sort of safety was almost enough to make him stay. But was any sort of haven worth his freedom? To be trapped on some single unknown island?

Killer blinked in confusion at the darkening look on Kid’s face. He couldn’t imagine what would make the man ask such a question, but, well, perhaps it was just one of the many differences of the outside world that he would have to work through unlearning if he were to stay.

“Love is love and sex is sex,” Killer said seriously, feeling that this was important for Kid to understand. “Gender doesn’t have much to do with it, does it?”

Kid nodded with a soft smile. "No… No, it really doesn't. I'm kinda tired. I think I'll just go to bed for now. See you in the morning?"

There seemed to be a sense of relief settling over Kid at that and Killer smiled, glad to have eased his mind at least a little. 

“Oh course, take your rest. I’ll be around,” he promised and stretched. It  _ had _ been a long (and frustrating) day. Killer had the bad feeling it was only the first of many.

The next few days were in fact not good ones. They went about the same as usual, only Kid was determined to push the boundaries of his not quite house arrest.

When he was still denied access to the village, Kid was a bit put out but reluctantly understood. When Kid was denied further information about the island's culture, he was a bit more sullen but accepted it.

So Kid tried to compromise and ask smaller questions. What was the weather usually like? How was the current economy? Were there many blacksmiths on this island?

Still no answers and Kid got steadily frustrated, but  _ still _ he tried to be patient. So he went with even more vague questions.

How big was the island? Large? Small? Were there many people, or just the one village and the capital the king ruled over? What general size  _ was _ the village? What kind of person was the king? Fair? Strict? What was the current government like?

When Killer said he couldn't answer even that, Kid was not only irate, he was suspicious. What was the point of asking him to stay on an island he wasn't allowed to know anything about until he agreed? How was that supposed to be look anything  _ but _ bad?! If he was going to have his memory wiped anyway if he decided to leave, what was the point in hiding things from him when it was they who extended the invitation in the first place?!

He knew it wasn't fair to Killer, but Kid couldn't help but be resentful and withdrawn towards the other man as time wore on.

* * *

 

Killer could see the toll the lack of any real information was taking on Kid. He tried very carefully to pry all kinds of things from him, but Killer knew he wasn’t allowed to really tell him much. The less that would be erased of his memories, should he chose to leave, the better. So it was not acceptable to speak more than the bare minimum needed for a person to make their decision. 

As the days wore on, though, Kid started growing more sullen, quieter and more annoyed at Killer in general. He really didn’t want to let that continue – he was mostly the only person Kid talked to on a regular basis, and letting him drift away like this would almost guarantee the man wouldn’t find much reason to stay. And Killer felt it would have been nice for him if he did. The islands had much to offer to someone as adaptable and smart as Kid, and the whole wary question about relationships  _ still _ bothered Killer. What would even make him  _ ask _ something like that? Especially so uncertainly?

Killer wanted to do something to ease the tension of the whole thing, but he couldn’t give Kid what he wanted. So he decided to try a different approach with something he thought the man would appreciate. Killer waited until Kid went to sleep in the evening, before stalking through the house and out into the woods. Kid had sounded pretty interested when hunting had been mentioned – apparently he liked cooking with fresh ingredients, and there was  _ nothing _ like good game that had just been caught. There were boars close to the village and Killer was fairly sure he could catch him one to offer for cooking in the morning. It would have to make Kid at least a  _ bit _ happier, right?

* * *

 

Some time during the night Kid woke up to use the bathroom. He meant to go back to bed, but then his stomach growled. Kid had been skipping meals and retiring to his room early to avoid Killer. Kid knew he had a temper, so he was just trying to avoid saying something he would regret to a man he had come to value as a friend, regardless of their current issues.

He went down the stairs and rummaged for a piece of fruit and a glass of water, hoping it would fill him up enough to go back to sleep.

On his way back, he frowned when Killer didn't even peek his head out to check on him. The blond slept as light as a feather, even more than  _ he _ did, and Kid hadn't bothered to try and be quiet.

Curiously, the blacksmith knocked. When no response came, he tried turning the knob and was surprised to find it unlocked. He pushed it open, and one brief look around told him Killer wasn't inside. But where would he be in the middle of the night? He wasn't in the bathroom, or the kitchen either. Had he gone out?

Kid stood there for he didn't know how long in utter silence. Killer was out and Kid didn't know when he would be back exactly, but he was betting on morning when the other knew Kid would be awake.

He bit his lip hard, hands clenching as an idea bloomed in him. It was dangerous, potentially  _ stupid _ , but… 

He had to  _ try _ .

* * *

 

The hunt went well – _something_ had to, every once in a while – and Killer spent a decent portion of the late hours skinning and preparing his game in portions that would be easy to cook. He used the local butcher’s place for it, cleaned up and only then started back to the house Kid used for his own. He shuffled around the kitchen, putting the meat away in the cool room and cleaning up some things that had been left from dinner, when he noticed a glass lying on a counter. One that hadn’t been there before. Had Kid woken up in the middle of the night? 

He spread his sense to check if the man was still awake, then froze suddenly. Kid was, indeed, not sleeping.

Because Kid was  _ not _ in the house. 

‘ **_Shit_ ** !‘

* * *

 

Kid had no real idea where he was going, but he carefully steered clear of the village. He had no clue if someone would recognize him as not a local, so he couldn't take the risk of being seen.

After he had gotten dressed, he grabbed his satchel and packed as much food and clothing as he could into a bag that wouldn’t slow him down too much. He didn't know how long he had but he needed to get as much of a lead on Killer and whoever else came after him as he could.

Kid almost cheered when he saw a sandy beach in the distance and sprinted to the edge of the forest. He stopped to make sure no one was watching before darting out and hiding amongst some rocky outcroppings.

He thanked his lucky stars when he saw a small group of what looked like fishing boats. Kid eventually decided on taking the smallest one in hopes of speed, but it was still a good enough size to carry him. In a small fit of conscience, he left an adequate pile of jewels for the owner for compensation.

Kid picked up the boat and sprinted further down the beach to a more secluded spot. Curiously, the strain on his body was not as bad as he thought it would be given his recent lack of activity. He wasted no time in readying the small sail a the oars before pushing off from the shore.

Kid was elated that things were going so smoothly, but at the same time he felt a touch of grief… Which was ridiculous, he hadn't even cared this much leaving his homeland. Then he realized he didn't really  _ want _ to leave.

But at the same time, he couldn't  _ stay _ either.

He frowned as he continued to row further and further out to sea. Kid wished he could have said goodbye to Killer, and he really hoped no one blamed him for Kid's escape.

He just-

The first lightning bolt jarred him from his deep thoughts.

" _ What the hell?! _ "

Somehow the formerly clear sky above him that had  _ just _ been the purest shade of blue, was now dark and rolling, and full of wrathful clouds threatening to break open at any moment.

What the hell was going on?!

Then the wind picked up and the water started to churn with the rage of rapids. "Where is this  _ coming _ from?! How-"

He turned at the sound of roaring water, just in time to see the twenty foot wave rise high above him right as it came crashing down on him like a house of stone.

The boat hadn't stood a chance, capsizing and throwing him deep into the thrashing water below. Kid tried to swim up, but whenever his head broke the surface he was forced back down, sending him flailing desperately.

He didn’t know how much time passed when he suddenly crashed into the rocks. Kid screamed silently, losing precious air when he felt something in his leg give in a way it wasn't supposed to. Then something brushed against his side and he froze for only a second as he tried to claw his way above the water. He managed to heave his bruised and battered upper body onto the rocks, hands cut and bleeding, when something  _ monstrous  _ erupted from the water behind him.

Kid had grown up hearing crazy stories of all sorts of fantastical sea creatures. He had loved hearing about them all as a child. Beautiful and ethereal beings that granted wishes or miracles. But also fearsome and wicked creatures colossal enough to swallow a fleet of ships whole.

Well, this one wasn't quite big enough to eat even a single ship, but Kid couldn't bring himself to feel any kind of disappointment at the jagged razor sharp teeth lining the grinning maw of the monster in front of him.

In that moment, Kid knew he was going to die. No one would even know nor care about whatever had happened to him, except maybe Killer if he wasn't too angry with him. He had never gotten to leave his mark on the world like he had so dreamed of, or even find some place to call home. No one had, or ever would, love him.

And he had no one to blame but himself.

" _ Come on _ , you piece of shit." Kid snarled, his hands were shaking but he refused to go out like a whipped dog. “I hope you fucking  _ choke _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Harle! Did you like this latest update? Let us know in the comments! Your feedback encourages us! ^-^
> 
> A little announcement: For mutliple reasons, we will now only be updating roughly every two weeks! This will give you more time to comment and talk about each chapter in between updates, and give us more time to write! ^-^ 
> 
> See ya next time!


	5. New Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'In Which Law Saves Kid and No One Is Surprised' or 'Law Finally Isn't Just A Creeper Who Climbs Into Bedrooms When Patients Are Asleep'.
> 
> Kid is rescued (again) by a certain handsome healer (again). But this time, Law finally introduces himself.
> 
> And Kid finally gets some much needed answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harle here, with the newest chapter of New World! Don and Sili send their love, and we all hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others (hopefully even more~).

Law was close to the shore, gathering, when he felt the familiar thrum of protective magic spark in the air. He could always recognize Don’s charms – so very powerful and unmistakably _him_. The island’s very nature transferred into raw power through the man’s abilities and bent to his will. While he wasn’t using it consciously now, the spells that were laid in place would activate at the smallest hint of danger to them.

Law expanded his senses, rushing towards the edge of the cliffs that were overlooking the sea, only to feel the slightly familiar beat of the outsider’s mind deep underwater, sending distress and anger out in such waves that it had Law almost taking a step back. Then he saw the upturned boat crashing into the rocks and the bright hot flash of pain that painted his perception into sickly shades of red. Not a moment too late, the man was gasping out of the water, trying to drag himself up and a coast guardian was looming over him, feral and dangerous.

Law didn’t waste a moment, switching places with a small pebble and crouching on the slippery rocks beside the red haired man. As the guardian charged, he stretched out one hand forward and cast a pulse of energy through the monster, stilling it in its tracks.

“That’s right, easy there,” he muttered. The coast guards were just a piece of the protection that kept the islands safe, and as such, they were a creation of Don’s, his magic coursing through them. Law had received his magic from the King as well, so the guardian responded to his power, letting the magic soothe it back to its resting place on the bottom of the sea.

That done, he turned with a raised eyebrow to judge the state the castaway was in.

Kid didn't relax until the monster disappeared beneath the waves and the water became still once more. Even the turbulent clouds became soft and serene, as if the freak storm had never happened. Shivering, he coughed again, more water coming up, and he pressed his head into the cool rock to distract himself from the pain in his leg.

The man above him looked painfully familiar but he couldn't place him. He felt his head throb, his hands starting to slip from the rock, and he felt his awareness start to dim.

“Did you break your leg for real this time?” Law muttered, shoving a hand under the man’s shoulder to drag him out of the water with ease, pulling him up fully onto the top of the rocks. The man was very much out of it, either from the pain or because this was the _second_ time he had almost gotten himself drowned in little more than a week. Shock was a very tricky thing.

Law reached out to the things he had abandoned on the top of the cliff, slipping a string of magic around them to drag them down and gathered it all into a pouch at his belt. He took a quick look at the castaway’s leg – oh yes, most _certainly_ broken – and slipped a securing spell around it to keep it steady as he carefully settled the man on his back.

“My apologies, but I really do _not_ appreciate being made to treat repeat injuries, I get enough of _that_ in the Royal Residence,” he frowned as he started on the way to Don’s village house. He had to work on the broken bone as soon as possible, so the man wasn’t getting out of his sight any time soon.

Kid could barely hear what the man was saying, the world tilting when he was lifted up. He groaned quietly, but this time it wasn't out of pain, but grief at his own stupidity.

Law decided to spare the man the indignity of taking him through the village, instead spending the flash of power needed to teleport inside the mansion from the edge of the village – not nearly as far as it would have been from the beach, and not as tiring. He was going to have to use enough magic as it was, with everything the man had done to himself, so he preferred not to overdo it unless he had to.

He took him to the medical room – one he insisted Don fit into every residence he owned – and laid him softly on top of the cot there. It took no time at all to fix up a strong painkiller, knowing this would not be bearable otherwise, and uncertain if it was wise to let him pass out right about then – he hadn’t had enough time to check on the man’s head just yet, and with the whole theme of recurring and worsening injuries the outsider had going, Law wouldn’t be surprised if he had a concussion, or worse, on top of everything else.

The doctor tapped his shoulder, sending a jolt through his body to bring his mind to full clarity.

“I need you to drink this,” he brought the mug to the other man’s mouth. “It will make the pain go away.”

Kid shivered at the odd feeling that had gone through his body at whatever the man had done. He opened his mouth as directed and carefully swallowed it all down, relief almost instantly starting to flow through him, and Kid sighed.

He licked his lips before speaking. "Thanks… I take it you're the one who patched me up the first time o‘round?” Kid couldn't stop the slurring of his words as his accent strengthened. “S- sorry about this. Ne’er could do anything right…“

“Trafalgar Law,” he offered as he put the mug away, coming back to Kid’s leg and slowly unwinding the threads of magic that had kept it immobile for the duration of their trip there. “And yes, coincidentally, this isn’t the first time I’ve found you half-drowned and with an injured leg. Please don’t move it,” he put a hand just under the knee and inspected the fracture, prodding the place lightly with his hand. The medicine had already kicked in, making Kid completely pain-free, but keeping his mind strangely clear at the same time.

Kid sighed. "I shouldn't ‘ave jumped the gun. I jus’ grabbed my stuff an’ ran as soon as I knew Killer wasn' home. Thought I could just sail out of here and find a new place to live… I buggered everything up…“

“I can’t imagine why you’d do that,” Law said, a little perplexed. The very thought of leaving the islands was so foreign to him, so very unimaginable. “This place has offered me nothing but kindness and care, and I could not possibly say the same about the outside world,” he frowned, shaking the memories out of his head. It was a long time ago now, no use in dwelling on it.

“Besides, you have hardly screwed anything up,” he offered, coming back to one of the desks and dropping a few of the clamshells he had collected the other day into a small dish and starting to mash them to dust. He had some fresh chamomile that he could add to that. It was the best cure for broken bones, and if he worked fast, he could have Kid walking out of here like nothing had happened at all. “A bid for escape when you feel trapped is hardly something difficult to understand. They wouldn’t ban you from staying simply for that, if you still wanted to.”

Kid raised his head just to drop it back down in frustration. "That's jus’ the problem. I don't _know_ if I want to. From what little I've seen and the wee bit I know, it's the nicest place I've ever seen or heard of, much less _been_ to. But that's the thing, int it, no? I don't hardly know _anythin’_ about this place because no one will _tell_ me anythin’. I know Killer wouldn't try to screw me over, but if they don't have anything to hide and my memories would be erased anyway, why bother keeping me in the dark?" He squeezed his eyes shut. "So I panicked."

Law looked up curiously from his work, floating a jug of water over towards himself all the while. He had never gone through that, admittedly, being lucky enough to wash up practically onto the King’s Consort’s very feet, half-dead as he had been back then. Cora had saved him, Don had cured him, and he had been thrown right into the deep end and taught to swim. He had never ever entertained the thought of leaving, so there had been little need for any official questions and secrets. Law was _beyond_ happy with his life here.

He poured the water into the dish and brought out a bandage to soak into the mix, before coming back to the injured man.

“Memories are… tricky,” he offered as best he could. “Magic is magic, yes, but messing with the mind is not always safe, nor is it simple or an easy thing to do. Erasing short-term memories is one thing, but once you start learning more about the island, you start forming your perception around that – it turns into an understanding that’s deeper than simple memories. Messing with _that_ is always dangerous.”

Kid's frown deepened. "Why didn't they jus’ tell me _that_ ?" He would have at least seen where Killer was coming from. It was one thing to know they were protecting their own interests, something else entirely to find out that they were protecting _him_.

“Killer wouldn’t have known he _could_ tell you, most probably,” Law answered as he felt around the break once more, preparing to shift the bone into place. “He is untrained in most metaphysical arts and doesn’t have much understanding of this specific kind of magic, doesn’t know its reach and its limits. Shanks… Shanks is an air-brained moron who was probably too busy being dramatic to remember to do so.” Law grimaced at that. “This will feel strange,” he warned and _twisted_ , correcting the break in one swift move that made a slightly disturbing cracking sound echo in the room, but didn’t hurt at all. “What do you want to know about, Mr. Outsider?” He asked, hoping a little distraction would keep the man’s mind off of it. The painkiller was, like much of his healing, magic based, and it depended more upon the mind than the actual sensations – the more Kid thought about it, the bigger the chance that it would stop working.

Kid almost gagged at the sensation of bone moving around inside of his leg in ways it shouldn't. He latched onto the distraction.

"That explains a lot. And I did get the feeling that the chief was a bit batty." He blinked hard a couple of times to keep the sting of tears from falling from the stress being placed on his body, whether he could feel it directly or not. "And, uh, I tried to keep it vague, to try and ask questions that wouldn't get _Killer_ in trouble. Like, ah, how big the island is. It would suck if I stayed here only to be trapped on some small boring island with only one tiny village and a city capital of who knows what size, ya know?"

“Oh, it’s much more than one island, Mr. Outsider,” Law said, levitating the dish with the soaking bandage over carefully as he lifted Kid’s leg to wrap it securely around the broken spot. The effects were strong, but he would have to take it off shortly, because this particular mix could actually be corrosive to skin if left in contact for too long.

“You’re currently on Dressrosa, which is the main center of the East. It’s one of the two biggest, right up there with Alabasta. And while we call it an _island_ , it’s much closer to a continent in size. There’s also Drum, Sabaody, Water 7, Fishman and Skypiea, as well as smaller islands all around that are far too many to list. There’s also Raftel, but you probably won’t get to go there, so it’s of little consequence.”

Kid stared at him. "More than one island? How the _hell_ does it all stay hidden? The area I came through is well known for the long stretch of jagged rocks and vicious sea life and bad weather, but it's barely big enough to host _one_ island, much less dozens!"

“That would be Don,” Law smirked, moving on to check over Kid’s head. “Did you get hit on the head?” He asked, before coming back to the question: “He’s the King, and he’s laid so many protective magics over the area, it’s basically unreachable. The rocks and bad weather are just a touch of the protection from outside – why do you think you were the only one from the wreckage to make it to the shore, when we could recover most of the ship for you? The entire area is locked in a protective bubble, perhaps separate from the world as you know it, in some ways. Ships practically sail through where most of it _should_ be located. It’s only the entrance that’s around the rocky waters you know of.”

"I think I might have knocked the back of my head against the rocks when I slammed into them. My back is kind of sore too, but I cannae really feel it well from your- uh, stuff." Kid thought about what Law said. "So, basically, it's smaller on the outside, but bigger on the inside? And how exactly did _I_ manage to get in?"

“It’s not exactly smaller, it’s just not all _there_. But if that’s easier for you to comprehend, I suppose it’s close enough to the truth.” Law ran careful fingers over the back of his head. Yes, there was definitely a bump there. This man seemed quite talented in doing himself the same damage as last time, indeed. Cora would have so much to talk to him about. Law wondered if he had set himself on fire since he had left the capital. Maybe he should go back soon, see how they were doing…

He checked the man’s pupil reactions and, yes, the redhead _did_ in fact have a concussion this time. Good thing Law had chosen to keep him awake for this.

“And _that_ would be because you have potential to use the magic of this place. The borders don’t let in outsiders without potential, it’s meant to keep the people who are born inside just as powerful, to stop the magic from fading away with the generations and to prevent inbreeding.”

Kid looked at the doctor with wide eyes. " _Me_? But I've never used anything like magic before, why-" He paused.

He had never used magic before. Had he? _That_ didn't count, did it?

Growing up, Kid had always been drawn to the forge, loved to watch the blacksmiths take something rough and useless and turn it into something beautiful, but with a purpose.

The first time he picked up a hammer to make something, he had barely listened to his mentor. Like he just _knew_ what to do, the exact spot to strike. That sound that wasn't there that sang for him only. The way the forge warmed him, but never burned.

He had tried to describe it to his mentor who just told him to keep it to himself, lest others think him mad. Or worse, if anyone actually _believed_ him.

Kid opened and closed his mouth, thinking to ask the other man about it, but ultimately decided not to. At least not yet.

"Uh, I just realized I haven't really introduced myself. I'm Eustass Kid, a blacksmith by trade."

Law noticed the pause, the uncertainty, but decided not to pry. He was more interested in his name, really. It was good to finally _have_ a name to go with the man.

“Trafalgar, sometimes Donquixote, Law,” he offered once more, giving both his names in the interest of full disclosure. “Healer.” Which reminded him to go back to the bandage wrapped around Kid’s leg and remove it. “This should be better now,” he offered, “but I wouldn’t recommend you try and walk on that leg quite yet. The healing needs time to set in.”

Kid nodded. "Sorry about this. It must suck to have to see the same person for basically the same injuries twice in as many weeks."

Law couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of him at that.

“Oh, I certainly find it a major annoyance, but I’m far too used to it, really,” he offered, while going through some of the containers on the table in search of the ingredients he would need for a potion to fix Kid’s head swiftly. “Cora is such an unbelievable clutz that I have to treat the same burns, bumps and bruises all the _time_ while I’m in the capital.”

"Well, if it's alright with you, I'd thank him for it. At least it keeps you from getting angry with me for being an eejit." Kid felt curiosity bubble up inside of him now that he finally had someone who would answer his questions. "Do you know if there are a lot of blacksmiths, or other smiths in general, on this island? I need to know that since it’s my primary trade. If I have a lot of competition then I might not be able to support myself."

Law huffed at that. “No, you will _not_ encourage him. I’ll be lucky if he hasn’t broken his neck by the time I get back,” he threw Kid an exasperated look as he measured the herbs and added a touch of magic to strengthen the effect, before bringing it to Kid. “And, no, blacksmiths are not so many. Kaido isn’t too generous with his gifts. Perhaps you wouldn’t find much long-term work in a place as small and rural as this; but the capital, or one of the bigger cities, would definitely keep you busy enough.”

Kaido? Maybe he was the owner of the lands' deepest resources. He would have to look into it later.

If he stayed.

Kid just grinned. "How is this country's economy? Is it stable? And what's the hierarchy like? Killer let slip something about a king, so I'm guessing some kind of complex monarchy. And what's the weather usually like? Are the winters bad? Flooding? And how are your relations with the other islands? How is the science so advanced? Is it like that everywhere? Even more so?"

Kid couldn't stop all the questions that spilled out of him, the excitement he had felt at the beginning was reappearing quickly.

‘ _Oh, you’re getting better at that one, it’s gonna get him clear-headed in no time,_ ’ Chopper giggled from where he whooshed into form, sitting on top of the desk and kicking his small hooves back and forth. ‘ _Maybe you should try adding a bit of the moonflower you picked the other night, though?_ ’

“To clear out his lungs, too?” Law considered for a moment, before coming back to his ingredients, muttering under his breath. “I thought it would adversely interact with the evergreen root…”

‘ _Not with the kind you picked here_ ,’ Chopper smiled and clapped his hooves together. ‘ _Come and tell Rouge all about the outsider later, you know she loves the stories!_ ’ And with that, he was gone. Law had gotten used to the spirit jumping back and forth – always as energetic as the child-like form he took.

“Please, Mr. Eustass, one at a time,” he turned back to the man and offered him the medicine with the added ingredient. “There is a King on the island, Donquixote Doflamingo. And he’s the most powerful being I’ve ever met, but disturbingly unsettling sometimes. The capital is just about in the middle of the island, and the weather there is _entirely_ subject to Don’s moods which makes it extremely inconvenient for everyone. He just _laughs_ when I tell him to put some stabilizing charms.”

Kid couldn't help but be intrigued by the very concept of magic. "You have a witch for a king? This place really is a fantasy land." He remembered all the old stories the fishermen's wives would tell him whenever he visited the docks, fantastic tales of all kinds.

“Given that much everyone here wields one sort of magic or another, it would be strange to have our King be powerless, wouldn’t you agree? Drink this while it’s hot,” he gave him the medicine pointedly. “I used to think so, too,” he added, dragging a chair to sit by Kid’s bed. Law had to leave that potion to enact its purpose before he did anything more to the outsider’s body, or risk pressing it too far. “We have our struggles, as well, but those are few and far between. A powerful traitor managed to run off to the outside world a little while ago,” well, it had been over a hundred years since then, but the details weren’t _that_ important. “And to be fair, we are rather uncertain of what he’d bring back, _if_ he ever somehow manages to return. It’s not perfect, nothing is.” But it was surely the closest to perfection Law had ever seen.

"And the other islands? Are your relations good with each other?" Kid wasn't a big fan of needless stupidity, even though many blacksmiths loved to tell him nothing was better business in their line of work than war. But money doesn't spend if you're dead. "Is trade good?" If he had to, he could always outsource his work.

“Hm, yes, relations between the islands are good, there would be little need to protect ourselves so carefully from the outside if we let war happen inside. Actually, I think Water 7 might agree with you – it’s the creators’ islands. Alchemy, architecture, technology, mechanics, smithing; most of those are at their strongest there. They even built Whitebeard’s ship, a long time ago. It’s an impressive place, I’ve been once or twice. But it’s not so close, so we don’t import too much. Which would be better for you, because you’d have a lot of competition there. Though, I suppose, you could always take an apprenticeship there, learn how to fit magic into your trade, and come back here,” he mused, kicking his legs up on the bed and leaning the chair on its back legs.

Kid's heart might have skipped a bit at the idea of being able to combine magic with his craft, his mind already a flurry of thoughts and ideas, and his hand _itched_ to draw out blueprints for all the new possibilities that presented themselves.

Then a thought struck him. "Wait… Donquixote… isn't that _your_ name?"

Law saw him get all dreamy and smiled a little, remembering the thrill of everything he had learned, that he _kept_ learning every day with the spirit of healing jumping in and out of his perception. He knew what it was like to add the amazing rush of magic to what you loved to do, to be able to do things that were previously unimaginable before.

“Oh, you catch on quick, Mr. Eustass,” he smirked at the sudden question. “It _is_ my name, well, as far as any magic on this land is concerned. Summonings, spells, charms – none of it would work on me, if they’re cast on ‘Trafalgar’ Law, because the land doesn’t recognize me by that name. Don adopted me, gave me magic and made me a part of the life here. At least officially, but no one really considers me to be his _son_ , thankfully.”

"Oh, so it's like you're his heir. Businessmen without sons, or whose sons are idiots, adopt all the time. Could even be someone close to their age, so they become part of the family in name to help and inherit the business when the family head kicks it." Kid had seen it happen with all kinds of tradesmen, he had even been offered to take over one of the bigger forges once he finished his apprenticeship, but opted to go off and start his own. He suddenly realized what he said and how it sounded. “Uh, sorry. I don't wish him ill.”

“Hm, well, I suppose so,” Law allowed, before chuckling and waving a hand at the apology. “I highly doubt there is any risk of that happening any time soon. Besides, Cora – his Consort – would be in line before me, surely.” And there was _no_ scenario Law could possibly imagine, in which Don would let Cora die before him.

Kid glanced around the room from where he lay on the cot, for the first time realizing he had no clue as to where they were. "Where am I by the way? I don't _think_ this is the guest house?"

“Don’s local residence. He has a house pretty much everywhere for annual visits, and he lets me use them whenever I travel around.” Law studied him a moment. Kid certainly looked better than he had when he had brought him in – the pain-induced paleness of his skin was gone, replaced by a slight excited flush, his slurring had ceased, his mind was steady and his reactions proper. It was gratifying to see his patients recovering, it always was. “How do you feel?”

Kid thought about it for a minute. "Head’s still a little sore, but alright. My hands are still stinging but they're better too. My back doesn't feel as bruised. Don't really know about my leg, with the painkiller I can't really tell much."

“I shouldn’t give you anything else before you take a rest, so I would highly advise that, if you feel like you can sleep,” Law said, swinging his feet back down and checking over the outsider’s healing leg. He went around and secured a small brace to take the weight of any moving the man might do during the night off of the break. “The leg should be almost fully healed by morning, but I would advise walking on a crutch again, at least until the day is done.“

Kid grumbled but sighed in resignation. "Alright. I'll try and get some sleep." He tried to get better situated but the cot wasn't really made for comfortable sleeping. He missed his bed back at the house.

“Oh, certainly not _here_ , Mr. Eustass,” Law raised an eyebrow, before carefully arranging it so that he wouldn’t bother the healing break, before slipping his hands under Kid’s back and knees and lifting him easily. The door swung open on its own accord as he walked toward it. “I can assure you, the King’s local residence has _much_ better beds.”

Kid's eyes widened comically as he clung to Law. He was almost sure the smaller man would drop him, but his hands were surprisingly like iron, tight and unyielding. Law was a lot stronger than he looked.

The redhead felt his face burn as he muttered he could have walked with the crutch or something, and he tried not to look up as let his hair hide his face.

Law could practically feel his face warming up with a blush and had to fight not to laugh, suspecting Kid would put up a lot more resistance if he thought he was being ridiculed.

“Let’s leave the crutch for tomorrow, shall we? The bone is partially healed, but still very brittle, and you wouldn’t want to undo all my work, would you?” He turned down the hall and up a flight of stairs, before another door opened and he walked inside, settling Kid into the bed.

Kid sat docilely as Law tucked the covers around him, his face red enough to make his head spin. "I- I'm alright now, thank you…

Law was still standing very close and now Kid was having a problem.

The blacksmith may have had a few experiences in a brothel and grew up around men in general, but it was entirely different to have a man he was steadily growing to realize was very 'attractive' being so close to him in a casual setting.

He… didn't know how to flirt, or even how to convey his interest if he wanted to. Kid could have casual conversation and talk shop just fine with other men. A visit to a brothel was pretty much a business transaction, no feelings or thought required.

But here he was, totally out of his depth.

"Uh," Kid felt his tongue practically tie itself in knots as he spoke, "thank you. For this and for talking to me… it's helped a lot."

It was always after people were out of his immediate care that Law even allowed himself to truly look at them. He might have spent a while talking to Kid, but it wasn’t until he left the medical room that he let himself really consider the man as an individual and not just a patient. And, frankly, having him sprawled out on Law’s bed, blushing and almost stammering, was beyond adorable. Law had the faint impression he might be trying to flirt with him.

“Oh, it’s really nothing,” he said, purposefully slipping his fingers over Kid’s arm as he brought the blanket up. He remained right beside him, sitting on the edge of the bed and smiling at him. “It’s my pleasure.”

Kid nodded jerkily. "Y-yeah."

He tried to make himself look busy by settling in. Eventually he frowned at his hands before glancing up.

"Hey, Law…” He fidgeted as he thought about what he wanted to say. "Is it- the life here, I mean… is it worth it?"

Law didn’t get asked that often, but that was because he had taken to the life on the islands like a fish to water. He had never even considered leaving; with Cora and Don’s tender care, with their attention and kindness, with their _love_ , he had found a place to _belong_. The world of magic had been opened to him and he cherished every new thing he had learned during his considerable self-imposed period of being a hermit in the Royal Library.

He had never once looked back to the outside world with longing, never _once_ missed his life there.

But it wasn’t really his place to say that.

“That is not a question I can answer for you, Mr. Eustass,” he said solemnly and with a wave of his hand plunged the room in darkness. “Sleep now, we’ll talk some more in the morning.”

Law slipped his fingers over the castaway’s forehead and sent a soft pulse of his own magic into the other man, ensuring he would have an easy rest.

Kid had never really felt safe in his relatively short life. Having to hide parts of himself constantly, never able to make real connections with others, and always looking over his shoulder for one reason or another. He was tired, beaten down, and mentally, as well as emotionally, exhausted. But Kid had always had his freedom no matter what it cost him.

If he chose to stay he could never leave, and no matter how wonderful the contents of it was, a cage was a cage.

Could he really make that trade and not regret it?

Before Kid fell asleep, looking up at Law, he couldn't keep himself from thinking one thing:

_'With someone as beautiful as that within reach, maybe it wouldn't be so bad living in a cage.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, come on, we all knew Law was going to save Kid's sweet ass XD
> 
> Thank you for reading and we all hope that our readers enjoyed his chapter enough to tell us what you think ; ) See ya later!


	6. New Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid wakes with a start, Killer makes a reappearance, and decisions are made.

Law remained quiet and still beside the sleeping outsider, listening to his breathing and ensuring he would sleep well, before he flicked a single candle on the desk alight and settled there, taking up a book on the local history that he had been reading. He kept a sharp eye on Kid throughout the long hours, and softly smiled when the light of the candle flickered to blue halfway through the night.

* * *

Kid yawned and stretched his arms without opening his eyes. He had slept great and was reluctant to wake up just yet, but he frowned as he felt something off. Like someone was watching him.

Kid opened his eyes, thinking Killer was coming to wake him, until he remembered where he was, and what had happened… Then he thought maybe Law was in the room, likely getting ready to change his bandages again or something. With a slight frown, Kid blinked sleep heavy eyes open to see, expecting to find the doctor close by.

What he had  _ not _ expected was for the man's face to be mere  _ inches _ away from his own and staring directly at him.

Kid jerked back in shock.

"What the  _ fuck?! _ "

“You make this fascinating little eyebrow twitch right before you wake up,” Law smirked at the startled man, pulling slightly back to give him a bit of breathing space. “You also don’t have a fever, which is good, since I didn’t get around to checking about infections last night. Though the medicine I gave you would have dampened any in your system. Drink this,” he shoved another mug into Kid’s hand as he stood up and put away a book that had been laid on the desk. “How are you this morning, Mr. Eustass?” 

"Other than my near heart attack? Pure dead brilliant." Kid grumbled, trying to pass off his red cheeks as irritation.

He looked up to complain about the doctor's creepy behavior, but stopped cold when he saw a familiar blond man.

"Killer…”

“Ah, yes,” Law smirked a little. “Your glorified babysitter dropped by last night, asking for a tracking spell for a certain wayward outsider. It wasn’t quite as needed as he thought it to be,” Law completely disregarded the strained atmosphere, and grabbed a mug of hot coffee he had bothered Killer into brewing for him, leaning against the window and sipping it as he observed the proceedings.

Killer gave Law a long, expectant look, but very soon it became obvious the man was  _ not _ going to leave them to this, so he just sighed exasperatedly and turned to Kid. Kid, who had scared the  _ shit  _ out of him last night. He had found out some of the protective barriers had been activated, and spent half the time looking for a corpse among the remnants of the small fishing boat he had found, before giving up and went seeking Law’s help.

Only to be led into the man’s  _ bedroom _ , where Kid, very much alive and not  _ too _ worse for wear, was calmly snoozing away the early morning hours.

He wanted to ask and say so many things:  _ Why? I thought you understood. Didn’t you want to stay? Did I mess this up? _

He settled on:

“Are you ok?”

Kid shifted uncomfortably while looking at his hands, his entire disposition all but screaming his guilt. "I- uh, I'm okay now… I ran into a little trouble, but Law's taken care of me… Again.” He trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Well, except maybe, "I'm sorry…”

“Kid…” Killer tried to hold it back for one more moment, before the words just burst out of him: “By the  _ spirits _ , what were you  _ thinking _ ? You’re lucky you didn’t become  _ food _ ! I thought I couldn’t find a corpse because the guard  _ swallowed you whole _ !”

“It almost did,” Law put in unhelpfully.

Kid bit his bottom lip and tried to sink into the bed. "I'm sorry I caused you so much shit." He mumbled.

“What… what made you  _ do _ that?” Killer asked, taking a few steps to sit at the foot of Kid’s bed. “I didn’t think things were so bad, you know, I get you were frustrated, but… Do you want to leave?” He asked, finally, the one thing at the bottom of it all. If Kid had done it because he wanted to leave, than this was it and he should distance himself now, rather than having it all crash at once when the outsider left for good.

"No- not exactly." Kid took a deep breath. "I was-  _ fuck _ \- I was  _ scared _ , okay? I know it's  _ shit _ . I know  _ you _ wouldn't hurt me, but you're pretty much the only one I really knew on this island, so I couldn't say the same for anyone  _ else _ . I was on a strange island with so many differences and no real information, with the threat of someone rummaging around in my head if I wanted to leave. I- I didn't  _ mean _ to run, but when I woke up and you were gone… I just panicked."

“You left him  _ alone _ ?” Law huffed, making Killer glare again. “I take back what I thought about you being  _ competent _ . Then again, Shanks didn’t do his job right either, so I suppose competency is a long lost dream around here.”

“Could you  _ not _ ?” Killer growled at him, trying to keep his focus on  _ Kid _ , because he was the important one right then. “No one would hurt you here, Kid. Not if you don’t provoke anything, and I really don’t think you would. Outsiders are rare, but you’re not  _ hated _ . That asshole over there managed to get himself a very well respected position, there’s hardly anyone on the island who doesn’t know of him by now.”

Kid slowly nodded. "I just didn't understand why you would hide everything from me. But… Law explained. You were looking out for me and I was being an eejit. I'm sorry." He was pretty sure he sounded like a fool for apologizing so much, but it was all he could really do.

“You really don’t need to apologize this much,” Killer offered, giving him a small smile. “As long as you don’t try that again, because that shit is  _ dangerous _ , you’ll be fine. Also, how much exactly  _ did _ Law explain to you?” He turned a narrow-eyed look to the healer.

Law met his gaze easily, clinking his now-empty mug on the windowsill.

“Enough to make it possible for him to  _ actually _ make a decision that would change his entire life. In other words, a little bit more than ‘We have magic, you want any?’ Which, as far as I gather, is about as much as  _ Shanks _ told him,” he snorted. “And no, you really don’t need to keep apologizing. What you  _ do _ need to do is pay me back for all the treatment I've given you, so how about you make me breakfast?”

Law had  _ never _ bothered to learn how to cook, and the simplest thing the other man could make him would be better than anything he himself was capable of, he was sure.

Kid perked up a bit, changing from the oversized kicked puppy he resembled, to a curious one. "Sure, what do you have to work with?" He remembered Law saying this was one of the king's houses, so there was probably a  _ lot _ .

He reached for his crutch to climb out of bed, stumbling a bit as he stood up. Kid was only wearing the pants he had found before leaving the other house, as Law had removed his shirt to take care of his back.

When he stood up, he saw a window and couldn't stop himself from hobbling over to it and looking out.

The view was  _ beautiful _ .

Apparently, Law had carried him up a few flights of stairs since they looked to be five stories high, giving him the perfect view of over half of the village. Modest houses by the island's standards, but still far better than what his old home had been like, with lined cobblestone streets. Fruit trees dotted throughout the village in a perfect blend of nature and industrialization.

And beyond that was the sea.

The way the sun hit the water and washed over everything made it look like he was in some otherworldly realm. In a way, he supposed he was.

Just this view of such a small part of this new world offered a glimpse of what could be his, something more than he had ever allowed himself to hope for. The opportunity for true happiness.

"Killer…” Kid felt more certain of himself at that moment than any other time he could remember. It felt right; right in the way a hammer felt in his hand, in the same way metal sang to him, and the flames called to him. "I made a decision."

Kid truly hoped it was the right one.

"I'm staying. I want to become a citizen."

Law blinked, a little taken aback at the sudden declaration, but as it sank in, he felt a smile stretching over his lips.

“You’re not going to regret it,” he promised softly, before leading the way to the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it looks like we're finally getting somewhere~ Things are going to get even more interesting next time ; ) Hope you all enjoyed it and we'll see ya in two weeks!


	7. New Direction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid has new direction in his life, things are made more official, and an interesting invitation is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little late! But here it is and we hope you enjoy!

A little while later found them in the garden – a vast piece of land with carefully tended flowers and plants, bursting with colors and aromas that would sweeten any meal. The bright, cloudless day made the experience even more beautiful, sunbeams dancing among the leaves of the ancient trees they settled under. The table where they settled was made from a heavy wood Kid did not recognize with comfortable chairs arranged around it.

Kid’s culinary skills ended up far surpassing Law’s expectations. The table was covered with a variety of dishes that all looked so good they actually made him realize he had skipped food since lunch the previous day. 

Killer was beyond himself ever since Kid had declared his decision. Any lingering unhappiness he might have been feeling over the previous night was drowned by the excitement of actually having an answer. He was getting the idea Law had told him a  _ lot _ the previous night, but if it had been what drove Kid to his decision, he couldn’t even bring himself to care.

Kid himself felt a lot more relaxed now that he had chosen, no more lingering doubts or choices hanging over his head. With his decision finally made, he was determined to make a life here for himself, and his mind was going a mile a minute.

"I was thinking about finding a good place to build a house. The guest house is great, but it's not really  _ mine _ , you know? Maybe a bit closer to the capital eventually. But I might be staying here for now, at least long enough for me to get used to things and maybe start a name for myself." Kid said excitedly as he passed the food around before sitting down to fix his own plate. His empty stomach was demanding food after his reckless stunt yesterday and the magic demanded nutrients to finish its work, leaving him feeling as if his stomach was trying to cannibalize itself. "Killer, I think at some point you accidentally said that you're not from this village, right? That time we shared a bottle of plum wine? Does that mean you travel a lot with Law?"

“I travel around sometimes, since I was assigned to guard Law,” The blond said, taking the offered plates and indulging himself in Kid’s spectacular cooking. “But I’m originally a Royal Guard and I’ve got a family in the capital, so I always end up going back there, eventually.”

“That,” Law rolled his eyes, “is only because Cora is overbearing and thinks I can’t look after myself, when  _ he _ is the one who almost breaks his neck every day. I don’t  _ need _ a guard.”

“And  _ that _ ,” Killer quipped back, “is exactly why my work is unbearable on  _ good _ days. He just casually decided he can reassign me to you, for example,” he added to Kid. 

Kid snorted. "Can't say I minded the company, but that sounds difficult. Poor Killer." He teased.

“Oh, certainly,” Law drawled. “Lazing around on his ass around the Royal Residence where no one with any lick of sense would  _ ever _ try to attack, and those housed inside are multitudes stronger and can defend themselves better than he could? Such a hard, hard job. And the one time I actually give him something to do, I  _ still _ end up doing it for him.”

Killer felt himself flush to the tips of his ears. “That, coming from someone who locked himself in the Royal Library and refused to come out of there for as long you did, means absolutely  _ nothing _ ,” he replied haughtily, making Law grin. 

Kid laughed. "You two obviously go way back. What's the capital like? I can only imagine how amazing it must be if it's even grander than the village. How many other villages are there? Any bigger than this one?" He smiled, happy he could finally get answers without worrying.

“The capital’s… big,” Killer settled on. “Insanely varied in everything – from the weather, to the people. It’s the main trade center, so there are many from the other islands who live there, or often visit. Not to mention all the temples and the spirits who fleet in regularly to meet with the King. It’s an impressive place. Probably like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

And speaking of spirits, Law’s eyes traveled up one of the old trees that marked the point where the garden just merged into the forest. On a high branch, nestled between the branches, sat Rouge, the flower in her hair in full bloom and vines with colorful petals and bright leaves slipping around her limbs. She lifted one hand from where they were folded over her knees and raised a finger over her mouth in a small shushing motion. He answered her smile with one of his own and inclined his head in acceptance. She always had taken an interest in outsiders. Apparently he wouldn’t have to tell her all the stories later, after all. 

“There are something like thirty villages,” he added to Killer’s explanation. “This is the second biggest, though some are very small. Also about a dozen towns, the capital and one other large city as well. That’s all only on the main island, too.”

Kid's eyes were round in shock. "Holy shit, I knew the island would be big when you said it was a bloody  _ continent _ , but- hell, magic is something else being able to hide all of this away. I see why you all want to protect it so much…“

If Kid had been in their place, he might have just thrown out anyone who washed up onto the closest outer island without taking any risks. He was lucky they decided to trust him.

He looked at Law and saw him staring over his shoulder, Kid subtly tried to follow his gaze but didn't see anything. Well, not anything other than the odd flower that seemed kind of out of place on that tree. 

Not like that was important.

“You can imagine what would become of the world, if this kind of magic became widely known,” Law scrunched his nose, biting into his food and enjoying everything. He was staying far away from the hot loaf of bread, though.

Killer threw him a look. “You always make the outside sound so  _ horrible _ . It’s impossible to tell if it really  _ is _ that bad, or you’re just too biased.”

“It’s horrible,” Law said with the most serious look on his face. “I hate it. I never want to step  _ foot _ in it.”

The blacksmith looked over at Law. "That's right, you were from the outside. But, it's not  _ all _ bad. It can make good things too. You're here, aren't you?" Kid tilted his head at him in an innocently curious manner.

Law was just about to go on a tirade about all the bullshit of the outside, and how as someone who’s  _ lived _ there, Kid really shouldn’t be defending it, when the man’s words sank in completely. His mouth clicked shut and his eyes widened, caught completely off guard by the absolute sincerity with which Kid said it – it wasn’t baiting or flirting, just stated as a simple fact and Law tugged his hat a little lower over his face to hide his eyes. He could hear Rouge laughing in the distance, the sound like ruffling leaves.

After a moment to appreciate how very charming the man could be  _ without even trying _ , Law decided he should give as good as he got. There was still a hint of pink on his cheeks when he grinned at him and said, flirtatiously:

“You’re one to talk. The outside hasn’t thrown us something as fine as you in quite a while.”

Killer dropped his face in his hand to hide the uncomfortable blush.

Kid wasn't sure why the comment made his heart skip, but he started picking at his food and smooshing it into something resembling a gear. "Thanks for thinking so…” He muttered quietly, his ears were a touch pink.

Law’s grin didn’t fade at all as he leaned over the table and seemed just about ready to deliver another like, which,  _ no _ .

“Shouldn’t you be calling Shanks and getting Kid officially settled in?” He butt in, making Law glare at the interruption. Served him right for being so unhelpful earlier.

“I believe my  _ patient _ needs his rest first,” Law replied, resentful at being so rudely interrupted. “I was thinking of calling him perhaps later today or tomorrow morning, if that was ok with you, Mr. Eustass?”

There was a familiar  **POP** and then there was the aforementioned redhead in the chair across from Kid, hair mussed terribly but startlingly bright-eyed for such an early morning.

"Nobody needs to fetch me, I'm here already!" He had already been fetched actually, and he waved to Rouge as he reached over the table to offer his hand.

"Make it official and nobody on the island will give you any trouble at all. Swear by my husband's dead-on marksmanship."

“It figures, the moment nobody’s  _ looking  _ for you, you pop right up,” Killer muttered under his breath, sulkily digging into his food. He was still pissed about the entire  _ day _ he had spent in looking for the man.

“Well, I suppose this works as well,” Law sat back, disgruntled in his own right that he had not only one, but two of them to juggle around if he wanted to get some of Kid’s attention. Well. There was nothing better than a challenge, was there? “You should try his food, our new friend is a  _ magnificent _ cook,” Law made sure to hold eye contact with Kid even as he was talking to Shanks, smiling at him warmly.

Kid smiled back guilelessly. "I'm glad you like it. The ingredients were amazing, I never knew strawberries grew this big. They're usually so expensive, I've rarely eaten them." He took a bite of the heavenly strawberry pie and couldn't help letting out a little moan.

Shanks snorted and waved his hand in front of Kid's face. "I need a handshake to make the whole thing official Mr. Kid, that's how magic works. And my arm is getting tired. As for the strawberries… they're a specialty of these parts. We export them to the Capital," he side-eyed Law, sharing an inside joke about the King who ordered seven bushels a week.

"I'll be happy to dig in, I've got the hangover from hell, but I really do need to tie you into the island magic so it knows you're allowed to be here. Don't want the kraken to go after you when you go out for a swim, eh?"

Kid blanched. " _ Kraken _ ?! I thought those were just- nevermind." He was beginning to understand nothing was impossible in this strange new land. Though instead of that worrying him, it made that spark of excitement burn brighter.

He stood up to come closer to the chief. "So… just a handshake?" Kid extended his hand uncertainly.

"Yep! Just a minor formality, you know." He grabbed Kid's hand in his and gave it a single, firm, shake. The ground rumbled as the land awakened, just enough to taste the magic of Kid, and Shanks' eyes glowed white for a moment as Kid was formally registered as a citizen of his lands. Then the land spoke through him, a simple sentence but one that resonated with meaning. 

" **The Mountain wants to meet you.** " 

Then it all subsided, leaving Shanks blinking and wide-eyed. "Well," he said after a silent minute, "that was… new. I've never had that happen when inducting a new citizen before."

Kid had retracted his hand the moment Shanks' grip loosened after he started speaking, feeling more than a little alarmed as a jolt went through him. His mouth tasted thick of forge smoke and he smelled earth. Not just dirt,  _ earth _ , the way it smelled deep in the mountains.

"What the hell does that mean?" Kid looked around frantically at everyone.

Law’s eyes grew wide with intrigue as he sat up straighter in his chair. 

“Was that  _ Kaido _ ?” He asked, almost vibrating out of his skin. He had met a lot of the more powerful spirits, but Kaido was not one who mingled with people often, and Law didn’t have that much interest in his realm of control as it was. But for him – for  _ any _ spirit, really – to speak so immediately to an outsider- no- a new  _ citizen _ … It wasn’t something that happened often.

“Mr. Eustass, I think you just got yourself a spiritual patron and a guarantee that you’ll be wielding magic in no time,” Shanks grinned with excitement at the man. This was promising to turn out to be so very interesting. Maybe he had spent enough time here as it was.

Kid turned to ask Shanks what the hell was going on.

Only to find the chair was empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are being set in motion, Kid has a firmer grasp on what he wants, and it looks like other powers in play are taking an interest. Come back next time to see what happens then ; )


	8. In High Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid learns more about what makes up his new world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to the New World and we hope you like the new chapter~

Kid looked around in confusion but didn't see the one armed chieftain anywhere, then noticed there was a large plate and an alarming amount of food missing from the table.

“Wha- sonofabitch, does he  _ always _ do that?!" He asked in clear exasperation. "And who  _ is _ Kaido? Is he the owner of the mountains or something? What did the chief mean about me using magic  _ soon _ ? And how can I have a patron? I haven't even set up a forge yet!" Without a decent forge at his disposal, his skills as a blacksmith were limited.

“Yes, he always does,” Law rolled his eyes. “People,” here he shot Killer a meaningful look, “complain about  _ my _ manners. Take a look at someone who’s considered the  _ head _ of an entire village, and tell me if I’m doing so bad, won’t you?”

Killer finally managed to shake himself from the shock of the entire situation and considered the questions. 

“The magic here is granted to us by spirits,” he explained, looking at Law who seemed to be staring off into the distance again. “Different skills and crafts need different kinds of magic to work with, so there are different patron spirits for every profession. Kaido is… a  _ very _ old, very  _ powerful _ one.”

“Kaido doesn't own the mountain, he  _ is _ the mountain, as well as the heart of the island, the ground we walk on, every stone, any mineral, and all metal,” Law recited as if reading from a book, the look in his eyes still distant. Rouge had disappeared, probably intrigued by Kaido’s choice and gone off to inquire about it. “Together with Enel of the sky, Otohime of the sea, and Rouge of the forest, he is one of the four greatest spirits. It is an honor to be chosen by him. Especially given he’s one of the most unsociable, too,” he smirked at that last one. 

Kid sat back down slightly mollified. "So… he'll… bless me? Or something?  _ Why _ ? What does  _ he _ get out of it?" He looked at Law in question. "Something that amazing has to come with a cost, obviously."

“The only cost is that you use it  _ wisely _ ,” Law said, smirking softly. “Do not think it is a gift easily misused – as most with bad intentions find out, the spirits tend to get very dangerous if you toy with their gifts. Chopper might have granted me the ability to heal at will, but if I were to  _ ever _ mistreat a patient, I can assure you he’d be merciless. And a claim like Kaido’s…” He whistled a bit. “If you go and try to wage or incite war around here, to harm the peace of this land with the power given to you; Kaido will not only take it back, but  _ destroy _ you with it. The spirits are fond of irony that way.” 

Kid slowly nodded. "Fair enough. What are spirits anyway? I remember hearing about them as a boy from the old folk, but I don't recall much about them. What does it mean he wants to meet me? Do we have a sit down in the local pub, or what?"

“They’re the world,” Law said, “the world taken a form through which it can communicate and interact with us. They are nature and the nature of people, they are everything that exists. Some are as simple as the life of a single tree, or the strength of a waterfall, others are so very vast and unfathomable that they can’t be encompassed by words. I said Rouge is the spirit of the forest. But she is also the patron of every mother, every caregiver and abandoned lover, she is the life of the land and the strength of the trees, she is the warmth in a family’s hearth, and the beauty of every flower. Fill in the blanks for all of the other three.”

Killer could never get how Law could spend so long learning of the uncountable spirits, when he barely ever made any meaningful human relations. Probably because he had grown up with nothing but spirits around him. 

“Some of them take human form to mingle. Some only show themselves to the people they favor. And some never show themselves… Kaido is somewhere between the last two categories, actually.”

“And some used to be people, before they were turned into spirits,” Law added, deciding to drop one more bomb on the man. “The King and his Consort, for example.”

"A spirit?! Is that why he's so powerful? The king, I mean. You said he controls the weather." The blacksmith's eyes were filled with excitement and eagerness to learn. "And, this Kaido, he's the spirit of the mountain? Does that make him the spirit of blacksmiths and the forge?! That would also make him related to fire and crafting skill somehow…“ Kid went on, his whole body practically shaking with barely contained energy.

* * *

Far off, in the Capital, the King looked up from his book-keeping, suddenly feeling insulted. Someone must be talking trash about him again. Possibly to the newcomer he had felt trip his protection spells. Twice.

He waved a hand to send a tiny raincloud to find whoever did it and ordered it to rain heavily on them for ten minutes. That would teach them to discount his power without going overboard on the punishment factor. On second thought, he added a second spell that would whisk away the rain after it fell, so if it was in a house there wouldn't be water damage, but would leave whoever insulted him soaked. Satisfied with this, he sent it off.

* * *

Everyone at the table was surprised when a black cloud popped out of nowhere above Kid and promptly started dumping water on him.

Law snorted at the small thundercloud that suddenly hovered over Kid and started unapologetically pouring over him.

Kid had looked up when the first drop of water landed on his head, thinking maybe it was going to rain. And it did.

Just only on him.

“That,” he grinned, pointing at it, “would be Don  _ pouting _ . I should warn you, spirits can tell when they’re being talked about, and  _ especially _ when they’re being disparaged in any way. Don is much more than a weatherman. For a glimpse of his power, you should consider the fact that all the islands are being held outside of the purely physical world with only a couple of rocks as a doorway, all through his abilities. He’s the spirit of kings and leadership. But also fertility, sex and all things dirty as well as love; at least the romantic and sexual aspects of it. He is every order and every tripping heart, the touch of a lover and the strong hand of a leader. Even long before his becoming a spirit, he held amazing powers.”

He sputtered and tried standing up and swiping at the cloud and attempted to cover himself. The water soaked his hair until it plastered to him, before washing down his bare chest and soaking his pants. He gasped at the coldness, his nipples hardening to points, the thin material of his pants sticking to his lower body to reveal nearly every detail, leaving incredibly little to the imagination.

"Shit, I'm  _ sorry _ ! I wasn't insulting you!" Kid cried out as he tried to shake the water off, droplets landing on the table and food only to disappear.

The rain didn't stop- ending a spell early wasn't worth the consequences for such a short term spell- but it did go from cold to warm, almost shower-warm so as to be somewhat comfortable, and the size of the cloud seemed to shrink.

Meanwhile, Don tilted his head. So maybe someone hadn't been trashtalking after all… hm. He shrugged and went back to work.

Kid looked good with his hair sodden and clinging to his face, Law decided. He hadn’t paid much attention to that before. And there was certainly something attractive about the droplets slipping down his face, his neck, his bare chest, the coolness of the water making his nipples stand out and soaking into his pants-

Law shook himself out of his thoughts and sent Don a mental kick in the ass just in case he was doing this to him.

Killer tried to distract himself from the sight Kid made, all sopping wet and riled up. The King really  _ did _ have a way in promoting all aspects that were under his patronage with one spell. 

Kid groaned but at least it felt more like a shower. He sat back down since it seemed the chair wasn't taking on any of the water. Somehow that just seemed to add insult to injury. He was still hungry too, but Kid didn't want the risk of soggy food, so he waited.

"I'll keep in mind to keep my mouth shut from now on." He mumbled.

It tapered off soon enough, only having been keyed in the first place for ten minutes, and when it did it took the rest of the moisture with it, so Kid himself was not so soaked and wouldn't ruin his chair.

Seeing the spark in Law’s eye, Killer spoke over his “Oh, you certainly needn’t do  _ that _ ”.

“ _ So _ , you were asking about Kaido.” That, predictably, dragged the healer’s mind out of the gutter, and Law latched onto the talk of spirits, like he always did. 

“Yes, he is the mountain and the earth, the patron of blacksmiths and metal workers, builders as well, but he rarely actually communicates with them. I… admittedly don’t know much about him, since he keeps to himself and my skills are very far from his sphere of influence.”

"And he wants to meet me? I've only been here less than a month. What do you think he wants?" Maybe the spirit wanted to test him? Either way, Kid resolved to prepare himself for any outcome. "When should I see him?"

“How long you’ve been here has little to do with it,” Law explained. “When you got accepted by Shanks just now, you became an official part of the land, a true citizen. Well, almost. You have to meet with Don once, too, and be accepted by him as well.”

“Oh, yes,” Killer nodded. “The Spring Equinox is coming up in about a month, I think that’ll be just about the best time to see the King.”

“Yes, and you’d get to see the capital, too,” Law smiled. “You know, I haven’t stopped back home in a while now. Maybe I’ll join you. Kaido’s mountain isn’t too far from there, either.”

Kid didn't really know what to make of the information but nodded anyway. "I'll do whatever I need to."

* * *

 

Law managed to talk Kid into remaining in Don’s house – there was something to be said for trading his medical skills for three wonderful meals a day. Unfortunately, that meant Killer came back as well, and his hidden intentions of having some alone time with Kid turned into time with Kid  _ and _ Killer. And, for some reason, Killer was absolutely  _ set _ on not allowing him to get anywhere with Kid. Which was beyond frustrating.

He tried to slip as much flirting as he could around Killer, though, and made sure to give Kid a thorough exam so he would have the perfect excuse to spend longer time with him alone, treating every last thing that could, potentially, be wrong with him, after his leg healed completely. It guaranteed him a while with the man, getting to know him and interact freely. He was getting really interested in him. Law didn’t  _ get  _ interested in people. 

There was also the question of all the scars Law found, once he insisted on the examination. Most noticeable were his hands and back, though there was a distinct lack of any burn scars, which surprised Law. It was common for blacksmiths to become very much used to burning off increasing portions of skin – they were frequent patients for the healers because the forges weren’t always kind to them. Kid, apparently, didn’t  _ have _ that problem. 

The time Law didn’t spend trying to sneak in some flirting all around Killer and getting to know Kid, he spent in the forest and around the beach. Rouge often joined him, still as curious as ever about the newcomer, as did Chopper, hopping around and advising him about the herbs and roots he was collecting. He slipped a message to Cora to inform him he would be coming back for the Spring Equinox in the meantime, but he mostly focused on finishing with the gathering and drying of his ingredients, so he wouldn’t need to come back overly soon. 

Two weeks went by before he even knew it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, we love having fun with our boys XD Can someone grab Kid a towel before Law offers alternative means of 'drying off'??? Anybody?
> 
> See ya next time!


	9. Journeying Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law has a few revelations after a talk with Kid, Killer is called away, and a journey begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harle here and I hope you all enjoy this update!

Kid would gladly admit that his ship sinking and him being busted up in the ship's wreckage was the best thing to ever happen to him. What he was used to struggling for all his life was simply laid out for him, but it thankfully didn't make life boring, no, there were still plenty of challenges.

Kid used to work until exhaustion just for a semi-respectable pay to keep a roof over his head, clothes on his back, and food in his mouth from day to day. Now, food was a plenty and he had more leisure time than he knew what to do with, though his new friends were filling in the empty spots nicely.

That was another new concept: friends. Back home, there was little time or place for real friends. There was business and there was 'pleasure'. He had fellow blacksmiths, and when he was younger he had the cooks of the local pub who would let him sleep on the floor of the kitchen in exchange for washing dishes. So having someone,  _ two _ someones, to spend time with and know they were looking after him was a novel experience that he did not intend to ever let go of.

Though there were moments that had him both confused and unsure of himself.

Like how close Law always was to him when they were in the same room together. Kid was sure it was just him being friendly, or concerned, he was always asking to examine him to make sure he was alright. He felt a little guilty for making him worry with how often he got injured. But Kid couldn't help how his heart seemed to pound when he was close to the doctor, his roguish looks making him seem more like a pirate that stories always romanticized than a healer.

Killer was Killer. He felt comfortable with the older man. If Kid had met him on the outside, he might even have told him about his attraction to men. He was just that sort of person that you could trust and rely on. It didn't hurt he was handsome. He still thought that even after accidentally seeing Killer's face when they went swimming in a brook close by and the other's hair had been swept out of the way. The agonizing scars just seemed to make him a little more real to Kid, and it was just further evidence of how strong Killer was.

Kid was having fun, learning something new every day. Law was currently teaching him how to read ancient runes, a language commonly used among the spirits. The magic the doctor was using to speed things along felt ticklish, and made him tired if used on him too long. Law was pleased with his progress and would soon be teaching him how to converse in it verbally.

Killer was teaching him hunting techniques unique to his home village. Kid had been ecstatic when he took down his first boar on his own, and then Killer taught him how to honor his prey in thanks for a good fight and the sustenance its flesh provided them.

Killer and Law seemed to have an odd kind of friendship of their own. Officially, Law was still Killer's boss, but they acted more like irritable brothers. Oh, Killer still took orders from Law, but the blond man made sure Law knew what he thought about them.  _ Often _ and  _ loudly _ .

* * *

Law had  _ finally _ managed to get Killer out of the house for the night one evening and sat in the dining room with a book in hand, waiting for Kid to come over from where he was fixing something for a villager down the street. He had gotten… something out of it, Law wasn’t sure, maybe to pick apart another one of their machines? Kid certainly liked doing that.

It wasn’t so confusing that Kaido had chosen him, Law figured, now that he knew and understood Kid a bit more, he could easily see how he would appeal to the spirit. He had a quick mind, respect for the land, and an inborn understanding of how things worked. But more than anything, he had the heart of a builder. He wanted to take everything apart not only to be able to know how it worked, but to be able to build it himself, often better than before. A creator. It would certainly call to the mountain spirit. 

It called to Law too, in some ways. He did very much the same, sometimes, with the patients put before him. Took them apart so he could put them back together better. That was some very difficult magic, though, so he only used it in very serious cases, but… Still, he could understand Kid, in a way. 

And he  _ liked _ the man. He wanted to tumble him in bed,  _ that _ wasn’t even a question, but he wanted to keep close to him even outside of that. If he wanted physical pleasure he could always just go to one of Don’s temples, of course, or simply to Don himself when he was back to the capital; but he wanted Kid  _ specifically. _ He wasn’t used to wanting specific people when it came to this.

Kid smiled in victory as a final piece slid into place. "Done! The tubing was clogged and some of the wiring was rusted because the builder didn't use copper." He had just finished rewiring a portable water heater used to help wash barn animals to keep them healthy.

Now he could use what he got from the nice lady without feeling like he hadn't earned it yet.

Kid got up from the floor and rummaged in his bag until he found the freshly filled jar of rouge. He walked over to the mirror next to Law and delicately scooped some onto a finger and dabbed at his lips until he wore a bright crimson smile.

"Better!" He turned his head to look at the doctor. "What do you think?"

Law blinked a good number of times, before he stared and tried to commit the sight to memory. The bright red lining Kid’s lips made them stand out so starkly against the pallor of his skin.

Law wanted to  _ kiss _ him.

He swallowed the urge down – this attraction was beginning to get a bit out of hand. Wanting to tumble the man into bed was one thing, but  _ kissing  _ him? He had to get this out of his system before he did something stupid.

“It suits you well,” he said, dropping his book on the side table. “Do you wear it often?”

"Yeah, a lot of blacksmiths used it on my home island. Keeps the lips from drying out and cracking. We put a type of lacquer on our nails, but I don't have any and haven't found the time to ask around."

Kid tugged on his pants uncomfortably. "I never really get used to these either."

Oh. So this was a problem Law was going to have  _ often _ then. This was so horribly  _ wonderful _ . Bittersweet, even. 

“What’s with the pants?” Maybe the material was different than what he was used to? Surely Kid could find something closer to what he was comfortable in.

"Oh nothing, it's just I'm not used to wearing them. I only do when I travel really. I'm used to a kilt, standard wear for a lot of men back on my island." He shrugged and let go of the material. "I could make one if I had the supplies. Just don't know who to ask yet so I can barter."

Curious to learn something else about Kid’s previous life, Law perked up. 

“What does a kilt look like?” He hadn’t read of this kind of clothing, which makes sense since there weren’t  _ that _ many books on the outside here. Well, there were a lot, of course, especially in the Royal Library, but nowhere near as many as those which belonged to their world. And he hadn’t had that much interest in those, anyway. Not to say he hadn’t  _ read _ them, of course. 

"Oh, I guess it's a bit like a skirt? Usually comes about to the knee, some times lower, and it has a belt. And, unlike  _ these _ uncomfortable things, you don't wear anything else under it." Kid grumble absently, adjusting the pants again.

They just kept wedging into awkward places whenever he bent over, and with Law always asking him to reach for stuff and having to lean over so much, it was only doing it more lately.

Law’s brain just about fizzled and melted out of his ears. The very  _ thought _ of Kid in a short skirt with nothing underneath… Just ready and exposed, there for the taking after only pulling the skir-  _ kilt _ up. He swallowed and crossed his legs to hide his budding erection. He was so very tempted to just jump the man, but with how very unresponsive he had been to Law’s flirting, he got the impression that he wasn’t very well versed in the pleasures of the flesh. Law had vague memories of how these things were looked upon in the outside – men sleeping with men would be punishable by death in some places – and if Kid didn’t respond to him, it might be because he shared that belief? No, no, Killer had said something about him asking, and… 

Law bumped his head on the back of the chair and rubbed his eyes. Focus, focus… A passing tree spirit laughed at him through the window and Law  _ almost  _ flipped it off. Goddamn it, why didn’t they have any pleasure temples here, he would  _ really  _ like to go and get some of the frustration out of his system. 

"Are you alright?" Kid moved closer to check on him. "Do you have a headache?"

“Oh, I have an  _ ache _ alright,” Law muttered under his breath. He was so very  _ tempted _ to ask him to kiss it better, but those kind of lines only ever worked on Don. Instead, he sat up straighter and decided that there was no better way to  _ learn _ than to  _ ask _ . “Mr. Eustass, did you ever talk to Killer about marital customs and the like?”

Kid blinked in confusion at the sudden change of subject but nodded anyway. 

"Yes, I- uh, asked about-" Kid stared at his hands.

Killer said it was perfectly  _ acceptable _ here, but Kid was having a hard time getting past his old habits of hiding. It would be his luck if he made things awkward with one of his only two friends.

He cleared his throat. "I asked him… if… people of the same sex… may become intimate with- without punishment." Kid's eyes darkened the same way it did every time Killer brought the subject back up. "Outside, it's… not well received. There are- there are consequences."

“Oh, I remember  _ that _ well enough,” Law frowned. Nothing better than a good reminder of how fucked up the world outside really was to make any uncomfortable ‘problems’ disappear. He tried to shake his distaste away. Kid was uncomfortable enough with only this, so he really didn’t want to make it any worse. “Things never really change out there, no matter how much time passes. Since you’re still  _ alive _ , I’d wager you were never caught taking part in anything of that kind,” he said, almost casually, fishing for information. 

Kid shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. "Um, no, not  _ caught _ … There was a neighboring island with a brothel, and if you talked to the right person they, uh, had alternative partners for the right price. They were very discreet…”

He distracted himself by checking his rouge again nervously. "I was, uh, relieved to know that the island is more…  _ tolerant _ of people's differences."

“People here would look at you like you’ve grown a second head if you ever even  _ insinuate _ something like that is out of the ordinary. I’m sure Killer was quite confused by your question, too. They can’t fathom why you would even have to ask,  _ that’s _ how different this place is. That’s how much  _ better _ it is,” Law pondered on what Kid’s words could mean. Had he only ever had sex in that brothel? With how difficult he was finding talking about it even here, where he had been told it would be ok, Law couldn’t imagine him opening to anyone on the outside about it. 

“There are marriages of every variety,” he added. “Sex or gender don’t even get a mention, forget about being an obstacle. And for those who don’t fancy such an entanglement, there are always the pleasure temples.”

Kid seemed to relax minutely, the blacksmith didn't quite know why, but it felt even more settling to hear Law say it. Kid wasn't sure what he was feeling towards his doctor, but it was probably just because they both originated from the outside.

Probably.

Kid looked up curiously. "Pleasure temples? Is it like a brothel?"

“Something like that, yes. You remember we mentioned that the King is basically the spirit of sex, among other things? Understandably,  _ his _ temples are scattered all around, though they don’t have one  _ here _ ,” he said the last part a bit sullenly. “You come there with offerings – or, well, to do a favor or a job for them – and you have full pick of the available staff – in any number you choose – to do pretty much anything that would strike your fancy. As long as it’s safe and they’re willing to do it, of course. I treated one of the high priests there once, I can assure you, the service for that big a favor is  _ impressive _ ,” he grinned at the memory. “Aside from that, they offer sexual education… Which, now that I think about it, you’d have to go run a course of, being from the outside and all. Every person here, once they hit the age of maturity goes for a course, so it’s nothing to be anxious over. It’s a very… pleasant experience,” he smirked. “And entirely free, of course. Education doesn’t fall into the bartering system, aside from the different apprenticeships.“

Kid walked over to take a seat across from Law, plainly interested in the offer.

He prodded Law to talk further. "Education? On such matters? That's… actually a pretty good idea. In the outside, they leave it up to the parents to tell their children whatever they can. And since I was an orphan, whatever I knew came from listening to drunks at bars, which  _ really _ wasn't a very accurate ‘education’. So, uh, when I got to the brothel, the prostitute I was with had to, um, talk to me… I remember I was so nervous that he had to get me drunk before I could bring myself to touch him."

His face was red with embarrassment mixed with a fair amount of shame for screwing up something so 'natural' as sex.

“Their education is, admittedly,  _ quite _ hands on, but if you don’t feel comfortable with that, you can always request a fully theoretical course, and- wait, wait,  _ drunk _ !?” Law’s face twisted in disgust. “You do  _ not _ get a partner drunk before sex; do that and consent flies right out the window! Next you’re gonna tell me you didn’t even use protection… Oh, gods,  _ please _ don’t tell me you didn’t use protection…”

Kid's face only got more red and withdrawn. "N-no! I mean, yes, uh, he insisted on that much. It was, um, standard policy? That I wear one."

“Oh,  _ good _ ,” Law let his head fall back in relief. At least there was a limit to these people’s  _ stupidity _ . “What else did he do? You don’t have to tell me, certainly, but at least I can tell you if he messed up something else major, so you can keep it in mind if you decide to get into somebody’s pants before we make it to the capital?” He knew  _ exactly _ whose pants he would like to have Kid get into, but with the way things were turning out, he was getting more and more uncertain about doing it quite yet. He might have spent some time working in Don’s temples, but that had been a while ago, and he hadn’t gotten anyone through the course for decades now. He would rather leave most of it to the people who did it regularly than risk missing something, or worse – messing something up. 

The redhead just shrugged. "I really don't remember much. I know I should since it was my first and only time and it was just last year, but I was pretty drunk. I remember bits and pieces. He did most of the work though, I just uh-" He made vague hand motions. "Put it in him. It was alright I think, though he complained a bit. I think he said he didn't think it would be that big."

“ _ That _ must have been either inadequate prep, or him not even knowing his own limits. Any of those would get him kicked right out of the temples. And a sexual experience should be anywhere from ‘awesome’ to ‘world shattering’. ‘Alright’ shouldn’t even  _ register _ on the scale,” Law groused as he tried to focus on anything other than ‘ _ he didn't think it would be that big _ ‘. Surely, size wasn’t everything, but there was more than one reason why Law enjoyed his romps with Don and Cora as much as he did. 

"Well… I'm here now, so, who knows how things will go. Maybe I'll meet someone… either way, I'll take you up on the education thing." Kid smiled kind of weakly.

* * *

Killer came back from a night of running Law’s errands, to find Kid with  _ rouge _ on his mouth. He almost choked Law for making him wear something like that, but the man halted him as he explained it had been a habit of Kid’s. Which was horrible, because now Killer couldn’t stop staring at his lips and thinking about how well they matched his hair.

He, naturally, expected Law to redouble his efforts of getting into Kid’s pants at that point, but the man seemed to do the complete opposite, backing off a bit and softening his advances. He was still very clearly after Kid, but was not anywhere near as forward in what he wanted from him. It didn’t make sense, with how Kid had very much made himself a temptation of the best kind with the godsdamn rouge all over his lips, but Killer supposed they might have talked some things through while he was away. 

And now, he was going to have to be away even longer. Which pissed him off to all hell and back, because he was  _ certain _ Law would take advantage of it. But it was an order, so there was little he could do about it. He knocked lightly on Kid’s door, hoping to talk to him before he had to go. 

Kid stood up from his bed where he had been tinkering with some scrap metal to answer the door. "Oh, Killer. What is it?" He looked down at the bag next to the blond and frowned. "Are you… going somewhere?"

“Yeah, sorry for the short notice, but I really gotta run,” Killer said, apologetically. “I got a message from the capital, and they need me back on Royal Guard duty, because they’re starting the preparations for the Spring Equinox, and there will be a lot of people coming in and out of there, and all hands are needed. I’ll have to leave you and Law to follow at your own pace.”

"Wow, well I hope everything goes alright." Kid tried to smile but it felt odd being separated from Killer for longer than a day. In many ways, he was the blacksmith's first true friend. "Can I do anything for you?"

“I wanted to give you this,” Killer pulled a round piece of metal from his bag, it was polished to an incredible shine and decorated with lines that seemed to dance circles across the edge, like a frame as the light played over them. It was small enough to fit in the palm of Kid’s hand, when he offered it. “It’s a way to contact me directly. I’ve charged it with some of my magic,” and hadn’t  _ that _ been a pain, considering how he wasn’t the best in casting actual spells and so on. “If you need to speak to me, all you have to do is hold it and think about it. Instant communication! If there’s  _ anything _ you need, don’t hesitate to get in touch, ok?”

Kid took it and stared at it for a long moment before his ears tinged red. "Thank you… I've never- It's nothing. Thank you. Again." 

Kid quickly placed it in his pants' pocket.

Kid went and  _ blushed  _ and Killer was just about ready to scoop him into his arms and take him to the capital himself, for how much he wanted to be by his side. But no, he couldn’t rob him of this opportunity to acquaint himself with the island, and, sneaky as he might be, Law was one of the best people to guide him with everything he knew. 

“Take care, Kid, and I’ll see you in the capital,” he clapped a hand on the man’s shoulder and smiled. “I should introduce you to some people, once you’re there. You’re gonna love it, I’m sure.”

Kid smiled in thanks. "I'm sure I will too. You've already done a lot for me. Hopefully when we see each other again, I'll have something for you as a thank you."

“You really don’t have to,” he smiled and picked the bag up, throwing it over one shoulder. “See you soon, Kid.” He really hoped he would. 

* * *

A while after that, Kid left his room to go find Law. He wanted to know when exactly they were leaving and what he should pack.

How would they be getting there? Walking? Or maybe they had horses. Kid never really knew what to expect with this new world.

He came to Law's door and knocked.

Law looked up from packing his books, Marco giving him a final knowing smile and vanishing from the room in a flicker of blue flames. He straightened and walked over, smiling once he saw Kid there. 

“Come in, I was just packing,” he offered, stepping back into the room. 

Kid entered, leaving the door open behind him. "So we're leaving today? Or are you just packing for in the morning?"

The blacksmith looked around the room, noting how barren it was now without all the little things, plants, and books to decorate it.

"How are we getting there?" He asked.

“We can go whenever you are ready, if you want to,” Law said, opening a leather bag and taking out a number of his surgical tools to carefully look them over. “I was thinking of going by foot, for most of the way, since we have the time and you might like to get to know the place better. There is no better way to do so, than to see it with your own two eyes, after all.”

Kid grinned. "I'd like that. There's so much I wanna see, and it would be great to have someone as smart as you with me when I do. It's nice having friends." He said wistfully.

Law smirked at the compliment, then looked up at the wistfulness. Kid had struck him as a person who was very much lovable, in a number of ways, since the first time they had spoken. For someone like that to sound like this whole thing was so very new to him… 

“It is,” he said, determinately. “And I’ll teach you all about everything, it’s a good refreshment course for myself as well. We might pass by some of my favorite places, actually,” he got a little distracted, as he noticed that one of his primary tools was bent out of shape. He frowned, as he pulled it out of the bag, looking at it closely. He could  _ try _ and fix it with a spell, but he had never been so good in manipulating metal, and this was such delicate work…

"What's wrong?" Kid had noticed Law's sudden silence and looked down at the slight bend in what he guessed was a medical tool.

Law turned towards him, holding up the surgical saw and trying to figure out  _ how _ it had gotten bent out of form like this. 

“I don’t think I can fix this,” he said, frowning unhappily as he considered. He couldn't know for sure if he would need it any time soon, and he could order a new one, but it would take a while to make and Kid looked so eager to go. “I’ll have to look for a new one once we hit the town…“ Then he shook himself out of his thoughts. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll figure it out. When would you like to go?”

"Um, in the morning? That way we can have a big dinner tonight and relax. Wake up feeling rested. Is that alright?" Kid eyed the saw, his mind already working on something.

“It sounds like a plan,” Law smiled, putting the saw besides the bag and carefully looking through the rest of his equipment. At least there was nothing wrong with that. He didn’t like replacing his medical tools – while he used magic quite often, instead of good old-fashioned doctoring, there were cases in which he would have to use the tools, and focus his magic on the recovery after the surgery. Those were always tedious and difficult, and he would  _ never _ go in with tools he wasn’t accustomed to using, or that had even the smallest defect. When it came to those kind of procedures, the smallest mistake could be the difference between life and death, and Law was very serious in his job. 

Kid murmured something before he departed to get lunch ready.

* * *

That night Kid made his best dinner yet. He tried to remember he was only cooking for two, but then decided he could send leftovers to the neighbors before he left.

Kid may have gone a little overboard with the roasted boar, deer,  _ and _ duck. But nothing stopped him from making pies of whatever he liked. They could go in a basket to eat along the way. Some of the meat they didn't eat could be dried overnight as traveling snacks along with bread.

Law had estimated it would take them roughly two weeks to arrive at the capital by foot, so Kid made sure they had plenty of rations.

Dinner that night was maybe the best meal he had ever cooked, much less eaten.

Kid  _ outdid _ himself with dinner that night. Law wasn’t usually one to eat more than his share – somehow, gluttony had never been one of his shortcomings – but the food was great, and so  _ much _ that he couldn’t help but take second- and third-helpings. His stomach was so full by the end, that it had him sleeping through the entire night, his body uncertain with what to do with so much food at the same time. It was certainly nothing Law was complaining over – a good night’s rest to start off was just about the best thing for their journey. 

In the morning, taking his traveling bag and his medical supplies with him (he had arranged to have the rest sent to his home, since he didn’t feel like carrying so many books all the way there on  _ foot,  _ and did not feel like sparing the magic it would take to cast a compartmentalization spell on his bag), he waited for Kid in front of the house.

Kid had packed the minimum, as he didn't have many of what he would call personal belongings in the first place.

He had divided up what he wanted to keep and what he had no use for from his wreckage belongings. Kid had kept half the treasure and given the rest of it to the village as thanks for hosting him. Kid also left them the clothing that would not fit him and those that weren't to his taste, also leaving most of the cooked food behind so it didn't go to waste. He, like Law, had asked for the rest to be collected and sent to him later.

The only things he actually packed to take with him was a basket of food that Law had procured for him that was somehow charmed to hold much more than it should and keep the food fresh, and a personal bag: filled with clothes, blankets, his rouge, a few trinkets, cookware, bits of scrap metal, and extra tools he had received as gifts from the villagers as thanks for his contributions.

Kid closed the door to the house behind him and joined Law. "Ready whenever you are."

“Just a moment,” Law turned towards the house behind them and muttered some words, too old and too magical to mean anything to Kid just yet, even with his ongoing education. Then, he put a hand on the closed door and a soft pulse went through the entire building. He took a step back and breathed out.

“There, that should keep the house in a good condition until anyone else gets here.” He rolled his shoulders, happy for the good rest he had gotten – the spell wasn’t one of his usual ones, even if he had learned it around the beginning of his travels – and it still left him feeling a little tired after, but only in his magic. And since he didn’t plan on using much of that until the evening, he was sure he would be just fine. 

Kid blinked and rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had imagined the ripple of gold that had flowed over the house. He mentally shrugged and wrote it off as the sunrise playing tricks.

"You alright?" Kid wondered if he should have made them a heavier breakfast since Law looked like he suddenly had a little less energy.

Kid himself was eating a light breakfast of a toasted sandwich for himself filled with bacon, eggs, and cheese he kept halfway wrapped in a napkin. Kid had been amused to learn of Law's...  _ dislike _ for bread, so had used something called a ‘tortilla’ to wrap up some of the fillings for him.

“Oh, I’m perfectly fine. It’s just these kind of spells take more out of me than the normal ones. Don does it with a flick of his hand, the ass,” he complained and pulled out his own breakfast from his bag, before throwing the satchel over one shoulder. “Shall we go?”

"Lead the way." Kid grinned and took another bite out of his sandwich.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mwahahahaha! You almost have to feel sorry for Law! But alas, his chivalrous manners overtake his desire much to Killer's relief XD
> 
> Let us know your thoughts in the comments and we'll see you next time!


	10. Flowers and Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They come to the first stop on their journey and Law shares some of his knowledge along the way.

They left the village early enough to not catch all the residents, which saved them about half a day in saying farewell to them all. It was a pleasant time for traveling on foot, the weather just about the best it could be, the fields around them stretching out as far as the eye could see. The road they walked was well-used, and they got greeted by people going in either direction regularly. There were small groups of trees scattered around, but mostly wide meadows and low bushes. 

“We will arrive to the next village shortly before sundown,” Law said as Windmill Village faded in the distance behind them.  

Kid was taking in all the sights. Even though he had seen fields before, it was like his eyes had suddenly been opened to the world for the first time.

"Even the fields here look more healthy and vibrant." Kid murmured with praise. "It makes it even easier to believe in the spirits. Who else could make an island be so plentiful?"

Kid had crouched down at one point to look down at the fields from the high vantage point of the hill they were climbing.

"Even the sun looks brighter, and it's barely risen." Kid grinned.

He blinked in surprise when he felt something tug at his hair. Kid lifted his hand and pulled a fully bloomed red flower from behind his ear, he could almost swear he heard someone giggle.

Kid looked around but the only person he saw was Law who was standing closer to the woods, seemingly having a conversation with a tree. It was something Kid had gotten used to seeing, Law talking to things the blacksmith couldn't see.

Though oddly Kid would find things slightly out of place wherever Law was directing his attention towards. A strangely placed flower, a strong wind that stayed in one place, and so on.

The redhead looked down at the flower and called out. "Law? What's this?" He held up the flower.

Rouge giggled as Law turned to see Kid examining a flower. 

“He is too sweet,” she offered. “But don’t let me keep you.” 

With that, she wiggled her fingers, making the flower glow brightly once, before slipping back through the bark of a tree and melting into the forest. Law’s eyebrows had climbed high at the sheer power of the protective spell she had cast on it – she had surely grown to like Kid, that was for certain. 

“That,” Law came close to him and pulled the tulip from his fingers, tucking it back behind Kid’s ear. “is a gift from the Spirits. They recognize people who can appreciate their art easily. Now it has also been blessed by Rouge, which is just about the best welcome gift she can give you, so you better keep it.” 

Kid stared at it out of the corner of his eye in awe and carefully stroked its large soft petals. "What's it called? The flower, I mean. I've never seen one before."

“Oh?” Law asked, smiling at the nice way in which the crimson flower almost disappeared into his flaming red hair, the green stem hidden behind his ear. “It’s a tulip,” he said. “a wide-spread spring flower. They represent true love, so they’re a favorite accessory in Don’s temples, alongside roses, and they bloom very much  _ everywhere _ . The capital gets overrun by them when he’s in a good mood.” The flower suited Kid very much. So much Law found himself just standing there and looking at him for a moment or two, completely captivated by the image the other man made.

Kid pet the 'tulip' reverently. The petals were softer than velvet but firm in a way he had never experienced. "It's beautiful." He called the words out in hopes the spirit that left it heard him.

"There aren't many flowers on my old island. Some daisies and a few wildflowers, they're nice, but nothing like this. It's like being among the heavens here." Kid stood and looked up at the sky. "Everything here is just… so much  _ more _ than it is on the outside." He closed his eyes and enjoyed the fresh morning air.

“The islands are very varied in their climate, due to the powerful magic used here so often,” Law explained. “Most of the flowers, plants as a whole, which grow here  _ shouldn’t _ really be able to at all. Some don’t even grow anywhere else in the world. They can all bloom simultaneously at one Spirit’s whim, or wilt completely at another’s.”

Law smiled softly at Kid’s reverence and stood beside him, the backs of their hands brushing lightly from the proximity. 

“There weren’t many flowers where I came from, either,” he offered, quietly. He didn’t often talk of his life on the outside anymore, preferring to keep to his dislike of it and not give too much of an explanation. “The entire country was too advanced, to focused on furthering their technology and exploiting their resources to care for the world they were destroying. I suppose it was only fitting that nature decided to kick them in the ass.” 

Kid frowned and hesitated over his question before he settled on something. "How you ended up here and why you hate the outside so much...  I won't ask that yet. I haven't known you long enough or done anything to deserve that much honesty from you. But I hope one day you can feel comfortable enough to share your past with me."

Kid straightened up a bit and smiled. "Let's go then. I've never been very deep in a forest like this before, should be fun."

“I don’t like talking about it,” Law said, before shutting the whole box of issues and kicking it to the back of his mind where it belonged, quietly festering until his next rant against the outside. With that, he joined Kid and stretched a little. “It will be, and since Rouge blessed it, there is nothing in the forest that will touch you, as long as you have that,” he gestured towards the flower in Kid’s hair.

"Rouge? I've heard you say that name a few times before. Who is she?" Kid touched the flower again to make certain it wouldn't fall as he was moving.

“She is one of the four greatest spirits, like Kaido,” Law explained. “She is the forest, and everything in it. She’s the kindness of a mother and the love of the abandoned, but she is also the unshakable stability of an eons-old forest and the strength of every beast that lives inside. And she also likes you, but you would have to meet her when you get more accustomed to magic, since she doesn’t show her human form to outsiders, since-“ the leaves overhead rustled, a sound so very reminiscent of a “Shush,“ that it made Law chuckle. “Yes, ok, sorry, I’ll let you keep some of your mystery this time,” he said to the forest at large and let out a ‘hey!’ when a branch snagged his coat. 

Kid laughed as Law tried to detangle himself. "To think someone that important was kind enough to bless my first journey into her domain. I'm very honored."

Kid looked up and carefully scanned the trees. He finally settled on that odd glow of light and that same flower he had seen before. "Thank you, Lady Rouge."

“Oh!” Rouge giggled at the words and made a brush by Kid’s feet shift some of its branches to reveal some sweet berries inside. 

Law, on his part, finally managed to pull his coat free without tearing it, and followed Kid’s gaze, realizing that he was looking  _ right _ at the spirit. 

Kid looked down at the sound. "Strawberries? Here?" He crouched down and carefully picked the ripe ones, leaving the rest alone.

“ _ He _ gets strawberries?” Law shot her a look. “I thought  _ I _ was your favorite.” 

‘ _ Jealousy doesn’t suit you _ ,’ she tapped the flower in her hair with a finger. ‘ _ He can’t see me. Just the flower _ .”

Law huffed, but smiled at that. 

“Do you see something that looks out of place?” He asked Kid, wondering if he even realized it.  

"Hmmm?" Kid turned over the berries in his hand as he tucked them into a pouch. "You mean the flower? With the big glow around it? It weirded me out at first but I've seen stuff like it before. Not as often as I do here, but I'd see stuff like that sometimes back on my island. This glow looks kinda like the light of a beautiful sunrise. Warm. Reminds me when I'd sleep in front of the ovens as a boy during winter, smell of the baking bread and knew I was safe for the night." He seemed to trail off with a faraway look in his eyes.

‘ _ No wonder he passed through the barriers _ ,’ Rouge hummed happily. 

“Yes,” Law agreed and grinned at Kid. “The flower is the center of this form. It’s the place where most of her magic is concentrated. Every spirit has one – it’s usually an object, or a part of their bodies. Some have marks – like tattoos or scars as their center, as well. That you can already see that is very promising for your future as a witch.” 

Kid grinned excitedly. "Sounds like it'll be amazing. Can't wait to see what I can make with it."

He stood back up properly and dusted himself off. "Should we be going? If we stop here for too long, we might end up sleeping in the forest at this rate. Sorry I keep slowing us down." He said sheepishly.

“I can’t wait, either,” Law smiled right back at him and lead the way deeper through the woods. 

Barely a few steps in, and it looked like the trees spread endlessly in every direction, sunbeams breaking through the canopies to paint bright splotches along the shady ground. There was no real path to follow, but Law knew exactly how to traverse it, following Rouge’s subtle hints whenever he was uncertain. The entire place looked like it was untouched by men, the darkened setting of pre-dawn settling around them. They could hear the calls and cries of animals and birds, see the beauty of the flowers that dotted the clearings between trees, where the sun hit.

Law stopped every once in a while, cutting off a piece of a plant, a little bark off a tree, digging out a root. But as soon as he took his fill, the plants would return to the state they had been before he touched them. Rouge didn’t follow them in her spirit form, but her presence was heavy all around them nonetheless. 

Kid found the more he watched Law, the more there was to see. The way he respected everything he touched with gentle care and only taking as much as he needed, Law just seemed perfectly at ease and a part of the land.

Kid hoped he could make this island as much his home as Law has.

They left the forest shortly after noon, having stopped for lunch while still in Rouge’s cool domain, and continued through fields with grass so high it reached their waists, and meadows with colorful flowers, over rolling hills and across a couple of brooks. The east side of the island was always so very picturesque, Shanks’ influence as the strongest witch around very obvious in how peaceful the world around was. The man might be mad on a good day, but he had a steady control over his magic and a love for his lands and his people, which showed in everything. 

Law told Kid this, explained about everything the man asked – plants, animals, geography and weather, the extensive knowledge he had built up after centuries in the Royal Library coming of use with how very interested Kid was in everything. 

They did reach their destination by evening – Law had planned on their walk being a slow one – and Law offered his services as a healer in the small village in exchange for a place to spend the night and warm food. They were greeted warmly, and Law was happy to know there were not so many patients that would need his help – he liked his craft, but it was always better if fewer people were in need of it.

As they were roaming the small village separately, Kid was excited to find a decent forge.

Thinking back to the instrument that Law had needed replaced, Kid grinned at his sudden idea.

He told Law he would see him in the morning, the doctor currently busy with the handful of patients in need of his attention and would likely sleep as soon as he got into the cabin they had been given.

Kid spent most of the day trading labor to the owner of the forge so he could use it himself that night.

His memory was keen enough to remember every detail about the saw he had seen in Law's possession. The material was a sharp but delicate steel, which explained why it had bent so easily if it encountered things like bone often.

The blacksmith kept mumbling under his breath as he worked, putting long hours into building and remaking the object multiple times until he deemed it finished.

By the time he stumbled into the cabin in the gray morning light and managed a quick shower, Kid was so exhausted that he passed out as soon as his body dropped onto the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your love and support! Sorry for the delayed posting, but we have all been busy as of late, and I hope you understand and enjoyed this chapter!


	11. Spirited Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law receives a gift.

Law spent the evening working, but Kid was still not back by the time he retired. He had expected them to have a little time to relax, but he had ended up reading halfway through the night and Kid was still not there. Law had asked one of the resident spirits to check on him, and had been assured he was safe and well in the smithy, so he had gone off to bed ahead of the man, hoping he would catch some sleep even if he  _ was _ disappointed by the lack of Kid in the hut. 

A noise woke him shortly before dawn, and he heard Kid finally walking in, he frowned a little in confusion. He had planned on their leaving early today, but he was sure they could easily spend a day here, or camp out in the middle of their way to the next village if they started around noon. As it was, he was  _ not _ about to wake Kid barely an hour after he had gotten back. 

Kid slept well into the afternoon sun. When he woke up, he groaned at the sore muscles that complained when he moved. Kid hadn't been able to keep up his usual hard regime he was used to at the forge, and now he was paying for pushing himself to the point of overdoing it at the first opportunity.

Kid looked around and grabbed the object wrapped in heavy cloth, and turned to look around the cabin. "Law?"

Kid rolled out of bed to redress and pull on his shoes. He wondered if he should give him the present now or wait until they were on the road.

Law popped his head in through the window, looking at Kid from where he was reading on the porch. He had just about finished the book he had gotten as a thank you last night, and was considering sending it to the Royal Library through someone else, instead of carrying it all the way. 

“Good morning, Mr. Eustass, it’s good to have you rejoin the living. Might I ask what kept you last night? Things to see, people to do?” He smirked lazily at the sleep ruffled man.

Kid opened his mouth to answer but then coughed when he got Law's meaning. "No. No, not exactly. I was actually out for you."

Well, in that case he had certainly  _ not _ been doing anyone. Though, it did pique Law’s interest. 

“Oh?” He slipped the book off of his lap and got up from his place on the porch. Even if it was noon, the day was still young and they had no real reason to hurry.

Kid held up the wrapped object for him, moving closer so Law could see it easily as he pulled open the cloth.

Inside of it was a new and freshly shined and sharpened one handed saw. Just from first glance alone it looked three times better quality than the previous one.

"Used your old one and melted it down for the handle and wrapped it in leather for a good grip. The blade itself is reinforced so it won't bend even under extreme and repeated use. The local blacksmith was kind enough to loan me his forge and some good materials in exchange for cleaning it and helping him fix a bunch of local farmers' tools. I hope you like it…” He said eagerly.

For a moment Law was at a loss for words. He looked at the skillfully crafted instrument – surely, it was beyond what his old saw had been, looking sturdier and more comfortable on the hand with the leather handle. 

He stepped closer to the window, leaning over it and reaching towards the offered instrument, stunned. 

“You… made this for me?” He asked, feeling flattered that Kid had ever paid enough attention to his problems in between everything to remember he needed it. 

"Yeah… is it alright? I sharpened it again after I tested it one last time. Not only will it cut through bone, it'll even cut through most steel. It took me a few tries to get the blade strong enough." Kid ran a finger over the instrument, pointing out little things about the teeth and how to clean it safely.

"And if you turn it over like this," Kid carefully flipped the saw over to the other side, "it has your symbol on it."

There, at the base of the blade was a bold black design of a stylized smiling face. "I would have put it on both sides, but the old man got worried about me working too much and made me go get some sleep. So I'm sorry if it looks incomplete…” Kid winced.

“It’s perfect,” Law said as he took it carefully, noting how very sharp the teeth really were, and keeping his fingers far from them. His old saw had been good, and he had been very used to it, but it had been  _ old _ . It wasn’t really a surprise that something had finally dented it, after all the years Law had used it. This one looked like it would take no time at all to get used to, and it felt somehow more  _ his _ , like it belonged in his hand. That might have been because of the mark, or because Kid had made it  _ for _ him specifically, he wasn’t sure. Either way, it felt  _ good _ to hold and have. 

“Thank you, Mr. Eustass,” he smiled up at the man and the urge to kiss his painted lips swelled inside of him again. “I will use it well.”

Kid's face lit up like a sunrise at the acceptance. "You're welcome! I'm just happy you liked it! It's been months since I was last in a forge, I was afraid I had gotten rusty. I would have been done in half the time usually, but the local forge didn't have a lot of the tools I needed, so I had to make them from scratch. I left them for the blacksmith to use because it would be too much to carry."

“If this is you being rusty, you must truly be skilled in your trade,” Law said with awe in his voice. Kid had just gone and  _ made  _ the tools he had needed. It was no small feat, especially for a single night’s work. If he was so capable with nothing but his craft, Law couldn’t imagine what he would be capable of with magic. No wonder Kaido had called for him. 

"I hope it's useful to you. Or, well, not, since that means you  _ have _ to use it… just ignore me." Kid rubbed his face to get the sleep out of his eyes.

“I will use it as it is made to be used – carefully and with regard to the patients more than anything else,” Law smiled, circling to actually enter the house and put the tool in his medical bag with the other ones. “Now, how do you feel about lunch, before we head out? Or, we could start early next morning, if you would prefer, since we would have to camp out if we did so today.”

"Mmm, I don't mind camping, but I  _ do _ like lunch." Kid grinned. "I'll leave it to you."

* * *

They did end up camping, after all. The village they had stopped at being far too dull to keep Law’s attention for more than one evening. They spent the night under centuries-old trees with Rouge’s soft lullabies rustling with the leaves.

Kid had enjoyed sleeping out in the woods. Through the branches, the stars were so bright that they looked like small moons unto themselves. Even the nights here were so much brighter.

He remembered sleeping in the edge of woods as a boy during the summers, when there were berries and easy game to be found. Winter was always too harsh to stay there, and even in summer time he had to be careful of hunters catching him 'stealing' their prey. He had been beaten more than once for the offense. But Kid had still enjoyed his time there. As he had grown older, life had only gotten more complicated.

Kid told all this to Law as they lay stretched out close to one another, watching the stars.

Law himself had never been one to appreciate nature, before he had arrived here. The island had taught him many things about life, about caring for it and treasuring it, and after all his years here he felt like he had just begun truly understanding its beauty. There was only so much books could teach him, after all, and he had only learned to fully appreciate it once he had left the Library and started traveling regularly. 

He offered his knowledge of the stars, which might be more limited than that of the things that were within his reach, but it was still plentiful. 

“We will be reaching another small village tomorrow,” he said shortly before they were settling for sleep. “But if we pass through it quickly, we could reach the town before sundown.”

"Can't wait." Kid fell asleep smiling at Law.


	12. Strong Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrive to a new town, Kid explores, and there are drinks

They were trudging up a hill, towards the town that lay on the other side of it. He was excited to arrive, but Kid had also admired the unique village they passed through earlier.

While the village was small, they were a vibrant lot, full of artists of all kinds. Kid had even had some time to talk to some of the local metal workers about their techniques. Kid traded some of the jewels he had kept with him from the salvaged goods for some written instructions. Kid couldn't read it, but knew he could get someone else to do so for him.

As they reached the top of the hill, he squinted against the sunset, bringing his hand up to shield his eyes.

Wow.

The town was more like a city in comparison to the outside. Even though the sun was going down, Kid could see  _ thousands _ of people in the streets. Lights brighter than any candle lit up the streets that were paved with a smooth stone, and large houses close together that stood tall and elegant, with small courtyards in between. The layout of the town was interspersed with markets, and small plots of vegetation filled gardens that he could see children still running around and playing in.

Law took a couple steps down the hill, before turning back to look at Kid who had frozen on the top. The look of awe on his face was adorable, and it made Law chuckle. He remembered the first time he had stared at the capital from up high, seen the life there and realized how many people lived all in one place. It had made him very much speechless for a while. 

“If you think  _ this _ is impressive, wait until we get to the capital,” he teased, but he didn’t rush Kid. Let him enjoy the sight, they were in no hurry. 

It took Kid a few minutes to tear his gaze away from the view and start walking again. 

"The architecture and overall design of the town is  _ inspired _ , it's almost like Windmill Village but on a bigger and more elaborate scale. I can't wait to see it up close." Kid said as he walked quickly next to Law.

“Oh,  _ this _ is nothing,” Law said as he continued towards the town, with Kid by his side. “You should see Water 7. Really, you should. I don’t have an eye for architecture and building, but even I can appreciate the beauty of their cities. It is no wonder, given the influence and respect their builder guild holds. Almost as much as their alchemists.” 

Kid's curiosity piqued at the mention of alchemists. "I've heard about alchemy from stories, but I don't it's very accurate. I'd like to hear more about them some time."

“Alchemy’s a difficult skill to master – in a way, it combines magic with science, and that is something that is rare even here. It might be suitable to your skills, perhaps, but I haven’t studied too much of it, admittedly. I am considering giving it a try eventually.” 

They were stepping into the outskirts of the town, now, a few farmhouses far between, which very quickly turned into a more lively area.

After finding the local medical care center and trading some of Law's expertise, they found a room at a tavern and inn for the night.

Kid spent the better part of the day exploring the town, checking out shops, restaurants, and smithies. There was a little of everything here, and he was able to trade more of his gems and gold for supplies, unique trinkets, and a bootknife that was spring loaded.

Actually having enough money and goods to trade for just anything he could fancy was a very new concept for him. He was so used to just barely scraping by day to day. Kid couldn't shake the belief that his luck could all disappear as quickly as it came. So despite the few items he allowed himself, the worry kept him frugal.

Kid returned to the inn with a bag on each arm at the same time as Law did, both just in time for the inn's tavern to open for the evening.

“I see you have been busy,” Law smirked at Kid’s full bags and showed him to the room they had been allowed. “Did you find the town ok?” 

It was good that Kid was getting along so well, really. Law had been a little uncertain at the beginning of their journey about the man managing himself, since Killer made it his business to babysit him all the time. Luckily, it appears it had all been Killer’s inescapable maternal instincts getting in the way of a perfectly capable man. Kid had a lot he didn’t know, but he was faring  _ very well _ regardless. 

"Yeah, once I figured out the structures and patterns, it was pretty easy to get the lay out of the town. And I got the bartering thing down pretty well, so I was even able to haggle a bit." Kid felt at ease. He had been worried how he would fit in here, but he liked to think things were going fairly well.

“I was thinking you might enjoy the bar downstairs,” Law said as he put his own medical bag away and opened a window, leaning over the street. The night was just beginning, and the evening crowd was out – people of all crafts and professions mingling and out to find entertainment after a long day’s work. Law himself wasn’t a big fan of crowds, but he could have his own fun in a bar, every once in a blue moon. 

Kid peered outside as well, grinning. "Even the night life is different here. Out there, most bars stay in a central spot, and all other businesses close before nightfall. Most everyone goes home except the working men to get brews at one of the bars. The bad elements usually roam the streets once the sun goes down." He gestured to the street lamps that kept the otherwise darkening night well lit enough to traverse safely. "Would have been nice to have some of these back then. Plenty of dark alleys and places unseen to hide. I've had to drive off more than one group of fools that thought a tired blacksmith made a good target."

Kid left the window to go to his bed and grab some fresh clothes. "I'll go wash up quickly, see you down there?"

Law’s eyes lingered for a moment on the outside as Kid walked into the bathroom. The soft orange glow of the streetlamps flickered over the crowd, people bumping and talking, loud voices and  flickering lamps and-

For just a moment, the lights weren’t from lamps, but fires, the people were in uniform, the voices were screaming-

Law shook his head harshly, chucking the memory to the very deepest recesses of his mind where it belonged. Having Kid talk so much about the outside was making unpleasant parts of his past stick their heads out far too often lately. Well, at least he would have a good enough reason to drink himself, once they hit the bar. He threw his hat onto the bed and made his way downstairs to grab them some seats until Kid joined him.

Kid tugged the black tunic into place as he descended the stairs to the barroom. He had bought the clothes just today and was pleased with how well it fit, the material was clingy and showed off his upper body without being restrictive. With his lack of knowledge on the subject, he might risk looking out of whatever fashions were popular now, but it was comfortable and it felt good to try something new.

Kid rounded the stairway and looked through the mass of people until he found who he was looking for. Law had managed to get them a good table looking out at the street.

He clapped his hand on Law's shoulder and grinned. "Who did you have to mug for a window seat in here? I didn't think it would be so crowded." Kid sat down across from him and used a spare chair to prop up his feet. He couldn't help flexing his legs just to feel the soft material on the inside of his new leather pants. It was so very much more comfortable than the breeches he had worn in the past.

Kid was focusing hard on Law to avoid the gaze of some of the men he had passed by. Their stares made him antsy and he was tempted to confront them, but he didn't want to screw things up after only just arriving. Kid doubted a brawl, while fun, would endear himself to being accepted by the king.

But Kid  _ hated _ being stared at.

Law looked up from his drink when Kid’s hand landed on his shoulder, and he almost dropped it at the sight of the man. Hot  _ damn _ those clothes did such wonderful things for him. Oh, shit, he really shouldn’t get too drunk after all, not if he didn’t want to risk tripping the man into bed while they were both inebriated. Fuck no. Not after the dismal experience Kid had, if Law was doing anything to him, it would be done  _ right _ . 

“I didn’t mug anyone, I promise. I  _ might  _ have managed to drop Don’s name about three times in a single sentence, though,” he grinned smugly. “It helps to be what  _ technically _ amounts to the King’s adopted son.” 

"It does help. I keep forgetting that you’re really royalty though, you don't act all entitled or anything." Kid looked down at the tray full of different kinds of drinks. "What's this?"

“Hm, that doesn’t mean I don’t take shameless advantage of it every once in a while,” Law smirked. The only reason they were bartering for places to stay was that he thought it would make for a more interesting journey for Kid, and because he didn’t feel like doing the preservation spells every morning, just because they spent a single night over in the local residence. Don’s houses in the towns were a thing of beauty, but the bigger and more extravagant the place, the more it took its toll on Law. He didn’t usually stay in passing – he only opened the houses when he would be in a place for more than a week.

Law nudged the tray a touch closer to Kid, smiling as he brought his own drink to his mouth. “I admit, the alcohol on the outside isn’t something I know much about – I was far too young when I washed up here to have even tried it – so I’m not sure how many of these you’ve ever tried. I’d wager on not  _ too _ many, though, so take your pick.”

Kid's eyes widened as he looked into each different cup. Some were wooden, some made out of different colors of beautifully shaped glass, some were even metal. All had different contents.

"I had no idea there were this many kinds of alcohol. We usually have rum, wine, mead, and ale. Cider during the harvest months. Whiskey if you can afford it. Though my home island had something good called-" Kid stopped when he smelled one of the drinks in a glass mug. " _ Baileys _ !" 

He took a long drink and licked his lips. "This is much smoother and tastes like sweet cream. Are you sure there's even  _ alcohol _ in this?" Kid continued drinking it anyway.

“I can assure you, there is in every one of them,” Law smirked and took a lime-green sparkling concoction in a tall glass for himself. “But why would you go for something you already knew? Be more adventurous, Mr. Eustass,” Law teased, as he reached a hand over the tray to pick out a random cup, not even checking what he had picked, before he handed it over to Kid. “Here, try this one.”

Kid took the cup and smelled it before taking a cautious drink, then a bigger one. "Tastes like apples." He licked his lips and hummed at the alcohol warming his tongue.

He drained that one soon enough and randomly selected another himself. This one was very bitter, and the alcohol was easily tasted. Kid could only force himself to drink less than half before moving to the next, and then another when that one was close to the same.

Kid licked his lips with confusion when he tasted the new one. "It tastes like tomato…”

“Oh, I’ve heard of that one, it’s a local special, actually,” Law leaned in. “But you shouldn’t go quite that fast, or you’ll be under the table before you know it.” Law was still sipping on his minty-tasting drink. Kid was certainly going through the tray a bit too fast for his liking. “I don’t feel like levitating you all the way upstairs, besides there’s a law against drinking and magicking.”

Kid waved off the warning. "Eh, I have a high alcohol tolerance, I've drank way more than this on a work night." He hummed happily as he switched to one that tasted of strawberries. Strong drinks were alright, but he freely admitted to having a sweet tooth.

Though it would probably be good to eat something so he didn't get too bad a hangover tomorrow.

He made to stand up and go to ask the barkeep for food, but Kid looked up and stiffened at the people still staring at him.

He settled back down, subtly gritting his teeth. "Would you mind getting us food?" 

Kid was trying very hard not to screw things up, but if he had to stand next to even one of the  _ rude _ bastards, he would snap.

Law noticed how Kid grew uncomfortable again, just as he was meaning to get up. He had looked it when he first came to the table, too, and Law hadn’t really figured it out at that time. 

“What’s the matter?” He asked, putting back his finally empty glass and grabbing a clear amber-colored one with a few ice cubes inside. He had admired the intricately carved temperature preserving spells on the tray under the drinks earlier. He sipped on it, the strong alcohol warming his body from the inside. 

Kid glanced behind him and shook his head. "Nothing important… it- it's stupid. Old habits, old memories."

He tried to change the subject none too subtly. "I'll guard the drinks if you get the food."

Law wondered if he should push, but decided it might not be the best idea. He might be trying to drink the persistent memories away, but Kid didn’t need to be put in a similar position. 

“Alright,” he allowed and rose from his seat, pushing the chair firmly against the table to make sure it was clear the spot was taken, before heading off to the bar. He had traded a few good remedies in exchange for their food and drinks that night earlier, so all he had to do was place his order and wait until it was provided. 

“You’re very lucky with a looker like him,” a voice caught his attention, and he turned to see an older man looking from him to the table, where Kid was pointedly staring out of the window. “You two work in one of the temples?” 

Law’s eyes quickly scanned the crowd, only to see multiple people throwing Kid interested glances. And suddenly, the source of the man’s discomfort was becoming very clear. If he was unused to obvious interest being shown to him, this might be a bit overwhelming. Did he even recognize that the stares were because he was attractive? 

“No, I’m afraid not,” Law answered absently, as he grabbed the tray that was quickly provided and pushed his way through the crowd. 

Kid was bouncing a knee in a nervous habit, trying to distract himself by the going ons beyond the window, anything to ignore the stares burning into his back.

Law shuffled the tray and empty glasses on the table, making a place for the food he was carrying, and dropped back in his seat. 

“You look great tonight,” he smiled at Kid, snatching a plate for himself and taking a sip of his drink.  

Kid's head snapped up, and he looked as if Law had just insulted him badly rather than offered a genuine compliment. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to, yo-" Kid managed to catch himself before he could finish a sentence he would  _ seriously _ regret.

He took a calming breath and firmly reminded himself that he didn't have to fake offense at things like that anymore.

"I’m sorry… thank you." Kid sighed and knew he probably owed Law an explanation. "I'm- I'm just not used to receiving any kind of positive… 'attention' from other men without having to… play it off.  _ Especially _ when in public." Kid stirred one of his drinks with a funny little brightly colored umbrella sticking out of it. "I usually have to laugh things like that off or get pissed. Joke or no. It would have been…  _ bad _ if someone thought I liked it."

Law’s eyebrows snapped up at the harshness, but he pointedly took another swallow of his drink, leaving the glass almost empty, before putting it down. He absently thought that Kid was  _ way _ too good at dressing  _ right _ to not attract much attention. At least here. 

“I can assure you, the attention you are receiving is nothing but positive,” he said and leaned on the table. “But if you would prefer, we could always take the food and drinks upstairs. The view is just as good from the window there.” 

Kid glanced back and slowly nodded. "Think you could grab me some more of these?" He held up a smaller tray full of empty baileys, fruity cocktails, and something called a 'long island iced tea'. "I'll take our food up."

“Of course,” Law allowed, throwing the last of the drink back and gathering the remaining glasses to drop off at the bar. “Meet you up there,” he offered, as he took the tray and left his seat, swiftly following his footsteps towards the crowded bar. 

Kid picked up the loaded tray of food and made his way upstairs.

However, as he was getting close to his and Law's room, someone spoke from behind him.

"Well  _ hello _ there."


End file.
